The community was named in 1691 for Dr. Thomas Wynne, William Penn's physician and the first Speaker of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

Wynnewood is one of many neighborhoods on the historic Philadelphia Main Line, and is the home of institutions such as Lankenau Medical Center, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary,[1] Palmer Theological Seminary, All Saints' Episcopal Church, and Friends' Central School.

Residents of Wynnewood cooperate with those of adjacent Ardmore in many ways, one of which is the ArdWood Civic Association.

This park is the site of a free or low-cost summer camp, sporting activities, walking paths, and a verdant setting.

As Wynnewood is primarily a residential community, its residents visit other districts of the Main Line, such as Ardmore or Narberth, for shopping.

Gracious, old-fashioned restaurants, Stouffer's and the Viking Inn, both on Lancaster Avenue, have disappeared and not been replaced, although less expensive fare is widely available.

Built in the 1870s, the vintage regional rail (SEPTA) train station (MP 7.5) was designed by Wilson Brothers and Company for the Pennsylvania Railroad.

Towns on the lower "Main Line" adjacent to Wynnewood include Overbrook, Merion, Narberth, Ardmore, Haverford, and Bryn Mawr.

Saunders House, a rehabilitation facility, can be found on Lankenau's premises, as is a large and busy medical office building that is home to many of the private practices of the hospital's attending physicians.