{{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox NRHP | name = Overbrook Farms | nrhp_type = hd | nocat = yes | image = Overbrook Farms 1.JPG | caption = | location = Roughly bounded by City Line Ave., 58th St., Woodbine Ave. and 64th St., [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]] | coordinates = {{coord|39|59|11|N|75|15|13|W|display=inline,title}} | locmapin = Philadelphia#Pennsylvania#USA | built = 1893 | area = {{convert|168|acre}} | architect = Keen & Mead et al. | architecture = Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals [https://dahp.wa.gov/category/%5Bvocab-raw%5D/late-19th-20th-century-period-revivals-1920%E2%80%931960], [[Victorian architecture|Late Victorian]] | added = March 21, 1985 | refnum = 85000690<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2007a}}</ref> }} [[File:Overbrook Farms 2.JPG|thumb|right|House on Overbrook Avenue]] [[file:THE BENTON FAMILY DESCENDANTS OF NAPOLEON.png|thumb|right|Notable residents included the Benton family descendants of former king Joseph Napoleon Bonaparte]] '''Overbrook Farms''' is a [[neighborhood]] that is situated on the western edge of the [[West Philadelphia]] section of [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]], United States. It is roughly bounded by City Avenue ([[U.S. Route 1 in Pennsylvania|U.S. Route 1]]), 58th Street, Woodbine Avenue, and 66th Street at Morris Park.
The neighborhood is bisected by Lancaster Avenue ([[U.S. Route 30 in Pennsylvania|U.S. Route 30]]) and the original Pennsylvania Railroad [[Main Line (Pennsylvania Railroad)|"main line"]]. Today, the rail line is used by both [[Amtrak]] passenger service and [[SEPTA]]'s commuter [[Paoli/Thorndale Line]].
==History== This region of Philadelphia and its suburbs were originally settled by [[Welsh people|Welsh]] immigrants, who purchased land from William Penn. Two of these farms contributed land for what became the Overbrook Farms neighborhood, which was developed beginning in 1892. The neighborhood is often incorrectly considered to be a sub-section of the larger and densely developed [[Overbrook, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Overbrook]] neighborhood.
Overbrook Farms was the first of several planned communities at were established along the Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The Overbrook Farms Company was the developer; its officers had links to directors of the Girard and Drexel banks and the Penn Railroad. This planned community includes some of the first residential projects by the first graduating class of the University of Pennsylvania's architectural program.<ref name=nom>{{cite report|type=none|url=https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71997188 |title=National Register of Historic Places Registration: Pennsylvania SP Overbrook Farms|publisher=National Archives and Records Administration |author= Edith L. Willoughby|date= 1984| access-date=January 8, 2026 }} ({{NationalArchivesNote}})</ref>
Overbrook Farms maintains the oldest continually operating neighborhood association in the United States, the Overbrook Farms Club (OFC). OFC sponsors an annual house tour each Spring. The neighborhood was designated as a [[National Register of Historic Places property types#Historic districts|National Historic District]] and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its description and statement of significance can be found at [http://www.uchs.net/HistoricDistricts/overbrook.html "Overbrook Farms"], Historic Districts. ''Overbrook Farms, Its Historical Background, Growth and Community Life'' (1936) by Tello J. d'Apery, M.D. also provides a complete history of the area.
A more recent development of smaller homes with modern incursions, called Greenhill Farms, is not included within the historic district. This development extends from 66th Street to 72nd Street. Bordered on three sides by Morris Park and on the west by City Avenue, it includes some original mansions built on [[Wistar Morris]]' [[gentleman's farm]]. The [[City Line Avenue Bridge]] was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1988.<ref name="nris"/>
==Public libraries== The [[Free Library of Philadelphia]] operates the Wynnefield Branch nearby.<ref>[http://libwww.library.phila.gov/branches/branch.cfm?loc=WYN], Free Library of Philadelphia</ref>
==References== {{Portal|Philadelphia}} {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://apps.libraries.psu.edu/digitalbookshelf/bookindex.cfm?oclc=28053876 ''Overbrook Farms'' history] ''Overbrook Farms its historical background, growth and community life.'' This entire book is available free for download from Penn State's Digital Bookshelf. *[{{NRHP-PA|H082616_01I.pdf}} National Register - Inventory]
{{West Philadelphia}} {{National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:Neighborhoods in Philadelphia]] [[Category:Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Philadelphia]] [[Category:Houses completed in 1893]] [[Category:Historic districts in Philadelphia]] [[Category:Overbrook, Philadelphia]] [[Category:Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania]]