Remember Laverock Farm. It existed once. This Pennsylvania community shares its ZIP code with Glenside. Laverock is a closed-in suburb of Philadelphia.
Let’s journey back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Mansions rose here on vast grounds. The Great Depression slowed construction after 1929. Development remained limited until after World War II. Today Laverock is a residential area. It is known for its many large black oak trees.
Now, picture Arthur E. Newbold. He built “Farleigh,” a Colonial-Revival mansion, in 1895. It stood on the north side of Willow Grove Avenue. His son, Arthur Jr., transformed it. He hired architect Arthur Ingersoll Meigs. Meigs created “Laverock Farm” between 1919 and 1925.
Laverock Farm was more than just a house. It was a working farm. Its buildings mixed antique charm with modern design. The Architectural League of New York awarded it the 1925 Gold Medal for Excellence in Design.
However, not everyone admired Laverock Farm. Critic Lewis Mumford criticized it. He called it “architectural anesthesia.” He saw it as an escape from a “sordid workaday world”. Mumford believed architecture should improve daily life. He said it should not offer an escape from it.
Sadly, Laverock Farm’s glory was short-lived. It was demolished in 1956. Split-level houses replaced the estate. They filled in around existing homes.
Laverock’s story includes more than just farms. John Clark Sims Jr. built Falcon Hill in 1892. He was a secretary for the Pennsylvania Railroad. Isaac Tatnall Starr, a stockbroker, bought it in 1915. Starr expanded the house. He renamed it Laverock Hill. Architect Charles A. Platt designed the additions. Landscape designer Ellen Biddle Shipman created the gardens.
After Starr’s death, his daughter Hope lived there. She and her husband expanded the property. Suburban development eventually encroached. Laverock Farm was torn down in 1956. A bypass brought noisy traffic nearby. Laverock Hill faced its own challenges. After decades of wrangling, it was demolished.
Laverock today isn’t just about its past. It’s a living community. The population is around 31,595. The average home value is $284,400. This is higher than the Pennsylvania average. The median household income is about $93,456. That is also higher than the state average. Laverock offers a blend of suburban life. It has access to Philadelphia’s amenities.
Laverock is a place of contrasts. Mansions and farms gave way to modern homes. Architectural dreams faded, but the community lives on. As we leave Laverock, remember its layers of history. Remember its resilience. Remember its ongoing story.