Wawa, Pennsylvania

Wawa is an unincorporated community located in Middletown Township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Named for the Ojibwe word for "goose" (taken from The Song of Hiawatha),^[1]

Wawa was originally known as Grubb's Bridge. Ashmead's 1884 "History of Delaware County" depicts the Edward Worth estate called "Wawa" here, and it is possible the name came to be applied to the whole community.^[2]

Wawa is also the former location of the Franklin Mint, which produced fine collector's items. The Wawa train station and junction served the Pennsylvania Railroad's (PRR) three branch lines:

1. West Chester Branch, now the SEPTA Media/Elwyn Line, Currently inactive west of Elwyn, but plans are in place to restore service west to a new park-and-ride facility in Wawa.
2. Chester Creek Branch. PRR's successor Penn Central ended train service in 1971, following damage to the line from severe storms in both 1971 and 1972. SEPTA currently owns the right-of-way, and the railroad bed is to be converted into a paved trail.
3. Octoraro Branch. Penn Central ended service in 1971 between Wawa and Chadds Ford, following damage to the line from the same severe storms described above. SEPTA owns the right-of-way and leases the section south of Chadds Ford to short-line freight railroads.

The headquarters of Wawa Food Markets is located in Chester Heights, near Wawa.^[3][4]

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