Prior to 1850 | 1850 to 1900 | 1900 to 1950 | 1950 to the Present

Centennial
In 1950, the Borough of Media celebrated its 100th birthday. It was during this Centennial celebration that Frank Lees, a business owner, began collecting historic memorabilia and artifacts about Media’s past. During his lifetime he became known as the town’s local historian. In his book, "From Media’s Past – A Pictorial History", Frank Lees captured the inherent charm of Media.

 

A legacy to the past
During the last fifty years, Media has undergone many changes while still maintaining its small-town atmosphere. Many of Media’s Victorian homes, built over a century ago, are still beautifully maintained. After extensive restoration, the Minshall House was deeded to the Borough in 1978 by Mrs. George F. Lewis, Sr., owner of the property, in memory of her husband. The Minshall House, located at Front Street and Providence Road, is now maintained by the Media Historic Preservation Society and is regularly open to the public.

Numerous beautiful buildings, many of which line State Street, were once home to the businesses that began in the late 1800’s. Snowden’s Department Store, which began in 1868, faded into history when the building in which it was housed burned to the ground on December 26, 1976. The arched front still remains as the entrance to the rest of the much-renovated building. While the Eagle Bakery no longer exists, the three-story building on the corner of State and Orange Streets still stands as a testament to Media’s visionary past. Thus, that past is kept alive today by a new generation of merchants and homeowners whose interest is in preserving and restoring the town’s legacy.

 

Changes in Media Schools
In 1966, the Media Borough School District merged with the Rose Tree School District and became the Rose Tree-Media School District. Penncrest became the high school and Media High School became the junior high school. Because of the increasing population of the school district, Springton Lake Middle School opened its doors in 1972. Media Elementary School now occupies the building that was once the high school. It was beautifully renovated in 1994.

 

Development of a modern business community
In the past twenty-five years, Media has seen a transformation in the types of businesses active in the town. This change is a result of the court system revising its schedule from quarterly to continuous sessions. Lawyers, psychologists and other professionals connected to the county court have located their offices in Media. The community has also seen revitalization and growth as many banks, investment firms, service businesses and corporations have followed suit, preferring the small-town atmosphere that has given Media its name as "Everybody’s Hometown".

 

Restoration of an important landmark
Part of the revitalization of Media included the 1995 restoration and reopening of the Media Theatre, which was renamed the Media Theatre for the Performing Arts. The theatre attracts many visitors who enjoy the variety of shops and restaurants that the town has to offer. One of those restaurants is the Towne House. A Media landmark, the Towne House celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 2000.

Not only does Media have many fine restaurants, it also offers residents and visitors a variety of shops, including a hardware store, a menswear store, stationery stores, jewelry stores, gift and dress shops and many specialty establishments.

 

A Presidential visit
Although Media is a small borough, it had the attention of the entire country when President Ronald Reagan made a historic visit to the town on October 29, 1984. From the front of the Delaware County Courthouse, President Reagan made his speech for reelection. In 1992, Republican presidential hopeful Bob Dole visited Media, again putting Media, Pennsylvania on the map.

 

Media in the twenty-first century
Today, as in years past, Media is home to many exciting events: the annual sidewalk sales, the art show, the food festival and many other events offered to both residents and visitors alike. This truly is "Everybody’s Hometown"!