The Evolution of the Bryn Mawr Suburb

1880-1970

Tamarinda FigueroaAlison Reingold

Charles WattamatusapotomosNeal Arakawa

We focused on three general areas around Bryn Mawr township, including a square of land developed around the 1950’s, a row of

identical freestanding houses built in the early 20th century, and a series of speculative row houses bordering Lancaster Avenue.

We also tracked the influence of older farm estates, including that of the Ashbridge, a home built in 1769.

Ashbridge Estate“Ashbridge Park was purchased by Welsh Quaker immigrant Rees Thomas after his arrival in America in 1683, on only the second boat of Welsh settlers to reach America. In 1769, his son and a grandson, Rees Thomas III, built the Georgian-style main house that graces the property today. “

The strong Georgian style is echoed in various modern homes within its midst, but does not exist as the only influence.

Modern Homes, circa 1950

Many of the suburban homes have Georgian

revival architecture, using symmetrical bays on the

front, paned white windows and grand

entranceways.This home has a entrance porch

nearly identical to the entrance to

Ashbridge.

This home (above) uses stone in a

manner similar to Harriton and

Ashbridge, but deviates in its asymmetrical front, which

reveals its hall parlor plan.

Newer StylesIn a few examples, we saw

evidence of timber framing, or half-timber construction, which, for medieval German homes, provided

a visible skeletal frame that supported the whole building. In its

modern form, the designer uses the visual of timber framing in a purely decorative manner, using bricks as filling instead of plaster.

Modern brick production allows for a uniformity of

size and color that enables designers to use

bricks in ornate, geometric ways.

Free Standing HomesAs you move closer to

Montgomery Avenue, we noticed, based on conversations with

friendly homeowners, that the age of the

houses increased. These rows, built around 1900, were originally composed

of a wooden exterior built upon a stone

foundation.

Speculative Row HousesBuilt between Lancaster and Montgomery

Avenues, these speculative row houses existed within close proximity to the commercial areas

of Bryn Mawr township.

The residents claim that these

homes were constructed

around the early 1900s, as were

the free standing homes a mere block away.

Sources

• http://www.lmconservancy.org/?d=19557957.8885, 2006 Lower Merion Conservancy