Merion, Pennsylvania

Merion – also known as Merion Station – is an unincorporated community in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. One of the towns that make up the storied Philadelphia Main Line, it is contiguous to the City of Philadelphia, and is also bordered by the unincorporated communities of Wynnewood and Bala Cynwyd, and the borough of Narberth.

History

Merion Meeting House was built at the present intersection of Montgomery Avenue and Meetinghouse Lane in 1695 by Welsh settlers.

The General Wayne Inn and Merion Friends Meeting House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Merion Friends Meeting House is also a National Historic Landmark.

Nomenclature

Merion is often referred to as "Merion Station," as this is the place name that the United States Postal Service recommends using in order to distinguish Merion from other areas in Pennsylvania with similar names. However, the historical name of the town, used by historical figures such as Theodore Roosevelt, is Merion.

Merion (SEPTA station)

Merion is an above-ground commuter rail station located just outside the City of Philadelphia on Idris Road & Hazelhurst Avenue. It is served by most Paoli/Thorndale Line trains with the exception of a few express runs. The station is located in a residential neighborhood. Landmarks within one mile include the former Episcopal Academy (the building and grounds are now owned by St Joseph's University), the Barnes Foundation, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, and Akiba Hebrew Academy. The station is commonly used by both commuters and students. The closest bus connection is SEPTA Route 44, which stops about 3/4 of a mile away at Old Lancaster Road and Highland Avenue, near the Bala Cynwyd Library.

The inbound platform is located at Idris Road & Hazelhurst Avenue. The station building, constructed in 1914 by the Pennsylvania Railroad, is a designated historic building. SEPTA completed its most recent renovations of the building's slate tile roof and canopy for Thorndale-bound (west) trains in late 2007. The ticket office at this station is open weekdays 6:15 a.m.-11:00 a.m., 11:45 a.m.-2:00 p.m., excluding holidays.