Philadelphia, PA—At less than one square mile, Media may be compact, but the county seat of Delaware County, located 12 miles southwest of Philadelphia, is quite multifaceted. Not only does it carry the nickname “Everybody’s Hometown” for its stated commitment to diversity and neighborliness, but it also holds the distinction as America’s original Fair Trade town, marking its public support of businesses that ensure workers receive a fair price for their products and labor.
The feeling of community is palpable on State Street, where shopkeepers tend lovingly to stores situated in buildings older than the town itself, and acquaintances greet one another during outdoor concerts on pedestrian Plum Street and at open-air dinners that invite visitors to dine under the stars.
History:
Three hundred years ago, William Penn sold a parcel of land in central Delaware County called Media, which derives from “middle” in Latin. A courthouse was built in 1851, and soon, Philadelphians were vacationing and moving to this planned suburb. Many of the Victorian homes still stand, as do buildings that—then and now—house first-floor businesses below the upstairs apartments. This and earlier eras are evident in the house for Providence Friends Quaker Meeting (whose members actively participated in the Underground Railroad), Media Presbyterian Church, the Media Armory, and several historic homes such as Cooper House, Hillhurst, and the 260-year-old Minshall House. Additionally, a Philadelphia-bound trolley still runs through town on lines laid in 1890.
It's Main Street:
State Street is dotted with 19th-century office buildings and a natural history museum. Most shopping and dining happens on State Street, with a few spurs reaching out into perpendicular streets.
Arts & Culture:
Delaware County’s only professional music theater and winner of more than 30 Broadway World Awards, The Media Theatre for the Performing Arts—located in a restored 1927 vaudeville theater—stages Broadway plays, intimate musical productions, and kids’ shows. Tucked within the woods of Rose Valley sits the Hedgerow Theatre, the oldest resident repertory theater in the U.S. dedicated to storytelling since 1923. Each month, Second Saturdays light up State Street from 6:00 until 9:00 p.m., as 30-plus businesses stay open late to host local musicians and display artwork.
The Great Outdoors:
Visitors can unplug and contemplate nature at Tyler Arboretum and Ridley Creek State Park. With the admission that allows for repeat entries on the same day, horticulture fans can spend a few hours exploring Tyler’s 650-acre collection of plants, unique trees, attractive tree houses, and historic buildings, then pick up a picnic lunch at nearby Country Deli to eat at a spot they find along 17 miles of trails through meadows, woodlands, and wetlands. For more recreational activities, Ridley Creek State Park encourages fishing, hiking, cross-country skiing, and the discovery of its formal gardens and the living history of the Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation site.
Getting There:
The trolley runs a regular route from 69th Street in Philadelphia, and drivers should travel south on I-95 and then north on I-476. Public lots augment metered street parking.
