A Walking Tour of Media, Pennsylvania

There is no better way to see America than on foot. And there is no better way to appreciate what you are looking at than with a walking tour. Whether you are preparing for a road trip or just out to look at your own town in a new way, a downloadable walking tour is ready to explore when you are.

Each walking tour describes historical and architectural landmarks and provides pictures to help out when those pesky street addresses are missing. Every tour also includes a quick primer on identifying architectural styles seen on American streets.

After receiving the colony of Pennsylvania from England’s King Charles II in 1681, William Penn sold a parcel of land to Thomas Minshall, who emigrated from England in 1702. Minshall’s farming land was set up outside the town limits of the Village of Providence, which contained a blacksmith, wheelwright, stables, outbuildings, and a few small houses and farmland areas.

The community name derives from Latin for “middle,” because of its location in the center of Delaware County. It is also situated at the highest point in Delaware County and approximately 12 miles from Philadelphia. Over time, there was a growing public demand for the county seat to be relocated from its southern location in Chester to a more central site. In response, the Borough of Media was incorporated by a special Act of Assembly in 1850, and the neoclassical-style courthouse was completed the next year.

The beauty and healthfulness of Media, the picturesqueness of its surrounding hills and valleys, the fact that the sale of liquor was prohibited in the borough from the start, and its easy accessibility from Philadelphia caused many people to seek summer homes in the town. For those just looking for a respite from the city there were spacious “country houses” that took on guests.

In this tradition of recreationa nd leisure this walking tour will begin at the Media Theatre on State Street in the eastern end of town...