ABOUT
Drexel Hill is a census-designated place (CDP) in Upper Darby, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Drexel Hill is located 7 miles (11 km) west of Center City, Philadelphia, and is part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The population was 28,043 at the 2010 census.
History
Thornfield, the estate of famed abolitionist and Quaker Thomas Garrett, lies on Garrett Road (named for his family, who were among the earliest settlers of that part of the township) and Maple Avenue in Drexel Hill. Garrett resided here before 1822 and would later work as a station master in Wilmington, Delaware, the last stop on theUnderground Railroad. In 1956, the Thornfield estate was purchased by Caroline and Walter Isard, activeQuakers who moved to the area when Walter founded the Regional Science department at the University of Pennsylvania. Caroline went on to found the Fair Housing Council of Suburban Philadelphia together with other concerned citizens in the area. As of 2014, the estate is owned by Randal T. Rioux. It is currently undergoing restoration, along with renovations necessary to preserve its history and allow for modern capabilities.