In the heart of Montgomery County, and only a short drive from downtown Philadelphia, lies the beautiful North Penn region—a semi-rural district that stands between the highly populated suburbs to the south and the farming areas further north and west.
Lower and Upper Gwynedd are in the southeast corner of North Penn, closest to Philadelphia. These two townships together comprise the Gwynedd region, and encompass the four villages of Gwynedd, Gwynedd Valley, Penllyn, and Spring House. Residents of these green and pleasant townships enjoy a semi-rural lifestyle while still being close to all that the big city of Philadelphia has to offer in the way of work and play.
Lower Gwynedd is a lovely wooded community of charming residential neighborhoods. Ample parks and the lovely 77-acre Penllyn Woods enhance the semi-rural feel of this community, and would-be residents have a gratifying amount of choice in homes to buy, from townhouses to single family dwellings.
In recent years, several large companies have relocated to Lower Gwynedd, and commercial and office developments have sprung up, bringing job opportunities closer to home.
Upper Gwynedd is a family orientated community, with pleasant parks, the excellent Nor-Gwyn Swimming facility, and the lovely Gwynedd Reserve. Upper Gwynedd is also fairly industrialized. Merck & Co, the area’s largest employer, have a 400-acre complex in the heart of the township, and they have recently started to build a facility in Lower Gwynedd as well. There are a range of neighborhoods to choose from in Upper Gwynedd and plenty of choice in homes.
LOCATION
Gwynedd is about 25 miles northwest of Philadelphia in Montgomery County, PA. Several key interstates and routes surround this semi-rural community, making it easily accessible to Philadelphia and surrounding towns.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike (I 276) runs west/east just south of Gwynedd, and I 476 runs north/south on its western border. I 276 and I 476 intersect at neighboring Fort Washington. State Highway 202 feeds into Gwynedd, providing an alternate route south to the Philadelphia region, and Route 309 becomes the DeKalb Pike which cuts across town, linking to I 476 to the west and neighboring communities to the north.
TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORTS
Gwynedd residents are about 20 miles from the Philadelphia International Airport, which has flights to centers across the nation and the globe.
Commuters and day trippers alike benefit from the excellent regional rail and bus service (SEPTA) in Upper and Lower Gwynedd. There is a rail stop in Upper Gwynedd and comprehensive bus routes throughout both towns. These bus and rail links journey to neighboring communities in Montgomery County, as well as to those in neighboring lower Bucks County and Philadelphia.
A BRIEF HISTORY
Upper and Lower Gwynedd came into being on December 16, 1891, when the original Gwynedd township was divided. Before this time, Gwynedd had been a single entity, settled by Welsh Quakers in the late Seventeenth Century on a land grant given by William Penn. The settlers named their new community for the thick snow that blanketed it on arrival (“Gwynedd” derives from the Welsh "Gwyn Eth" which translates as “white fields”) and they worked hard to establish their new community.
Many descendents of these early settlers still live in the Gwynedd region, and help keep its traditional festivals and beliefs alive. The Quakers are still a strong community in the area.
Lower Gwynedd remained a largely rural community until the nineteen-fifties, when increasing urbanization led to new housing and commercial development.
Upper Gwynedd was always more commercial than its neighboring municipality. After the split in 1891, the old Indian trail through what was now Upper Gwynedd became a principle transportation route, called Sumneytown Pike. Hotels, businesses and taverns sprung up along this “Great Road.” The rest of Upper Gwynedd remained largely agricultural until the Second World War, when war needs led to the development of industry in the region. Upper Gwynedd’s well-planned residential neighborhoods soon followed.
Both Upper and Lower Gwynedd have experienced rapid growth over the past ten years, with housing units increasing by 33 percent. Community driven urban planning seeks to protect the semi-rural character of these lovely communities as much as possible.
- NUMBER1EXPERTS™ 
