Merion Station

The area is named after Merionethshire, Wales, where many of the original settlers came from.  It is sometimes referred to as just “Merion,” but the U.S. Post Office recommends using “Merion Station” to distinguish the area from other communities in Pennsylvania with similar names.

Many large estates were built in Merion Station during the 19th century, and some are still intact.  Perhaps one of the most famous residents was Albert C. Barnes, a scientist and art collector who amassed a large, valuable Impressionist collection and who originally used it to teach art.  In 2012, the collection was moved to Philadelphia’s Ben Franklin Parkway where its treasures are on display in much the same eclectic configuration Barnes originally used in his Merion Station gallery.

Another famous resident was Eldridge Johnson, inventor of the wind-up synchronous motor that powered early phonographs.  He went on to found the Victor Talking Machine Company, which became RCA.

Above, the Merion Tribute House, built in the early 1920s, is a prominent venue for weddings and other social occasions. Eldridge Johnson, founder in 1891 of the Victor Talking Machine Company in Camden, offered to demolish the house on his property and build a "Tribute House" in recognition of the 81 men from Merion who were in the armed services. For more on this elegant setting, visit https://www.tributehouse.com/history