Haverford, along with Upper Darby, Cheltenham, Lower Merion together form as the major inner ring suburbs of Philadelphia.

In 1681, a representative group of Welsh Quakers met with Penn to discuss their settlement having purchased forty thousand acres of land which today comprises all of Haverford, Radnor and Lower Merion Townships.

The original settlers, led by John Roberts who had negotiated with William Penn in 1684 to constitute the Tract as a separate county whose local government would use the Welsh language never saw their dream realized.

The census returns of 1860 show the value of livestock as $62,485.00; animals slaughtered $11,255.00; 46,049 bushels of grain harvested and the value of orchard and garden produce, $4,090.00.

On Darby Creek to the west, Richard Hayes Jr., David Morris and Samuel Lewis erected a gristmill, known as Haverford New Mill, in 1707.

The sawmill remained in the family ownership for more than 125 years, and was, until its demolition, the oldest industry extant in Haverford Township.

The mills ceased operations in 1840 and were sold to Dennis Kelly, who converted them for the manufacture of cotton and wooden goods.

The transformation of Haverford Township from an agrarian spread of farms and mills began just after the turn of the 20th century.

Rail lines ran from 69th Street in Upper Darby outward to Ardmore, West Chester and Norristown.

Along the rail lines the railroad built the first planned suburban communities Llanerch, 1897 and the most fully developed, Brookline, 1909.

While Beechwood, Oakmont and Manoa date from the same period the major housing tracts do not appear until after World War II along with the development of Chatham Park.

It has not been determined whether the log house predates this purchase, but a 2+1⁄2-story stone addition was built c. 1730, and later a clapboard summer kitchen was added.

Alexander Symington received 5 shillings for an irregularly shaped building lot of one quarter of an acre and three perches near the present day intersection of Darby and Coopertown Roads.

Payment for the land was made by five trustees: Philip Sheaff, William Brook, Francis Lee, David Lyons and Benjamin Hayes Smith, "for the purpose of erecting a school thereon for the use of said Township of Haverford".

It was the home of Joshua Humphreys, the shipbuilder and naval architect known for constructing the original six frigates of the United States Navy.

Here, this beautiful specimen of early American homes still stands, in an excellent state of preservation and repair, as it has since 1813, when the front section was built and added to the middle three-story section erected 1730–60, which in turn was then added to the rear and original two-story structure, built possibly as early as 1683.

[10] The Nitre Hall Powder Mills, which gave the valley its name, were built by Israel Whelen shortly after 1800.

After the powder mills closed in 1840, Dennis Kelly bought the property and converted the buildings to the manufacture of textiles.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 10.0 square miles (26 km2), all of it land.

Pennsylvania Route 3 follows West Chester Pike along a northwest-southeast alignment through the southern portion of the township.

Finally, Pennsylvania Route 320 briefly crosses the western tip of the township along Sproul Road.

[28] A stone structure erected on a site along Darby Road at the crossroads Coopertown served as a school until 1872.

Today, known as the Federal School, the building still stands and serves as a window to history for Haverford Township children.

Residents of Haverford Township benefit from a wide range of school supported services, including Adult Evening School; the Golden Age Program, the Senior Citizen Prom and the Tax-Aide Program for senior citizens; and Delaware County Community College courses for all residents.

Haverford, which is a member of the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and the Main Line Chamber of Commerce, maintains partnerships with local universities and colleges, businesses, service organizations, realtors, community groups and senior citizen organizations.

In addition, Haverford, unlike many of its peers, is located within easy travel of a large metropolitan center and the opportunities that Philadelphia offers.