This week the 113Th U.S. Open Golf Championship is being held at Merion Golf club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. The U. S. Open is one of the four golf major tournaments held each year. As such all of the top golfers in the world will be there. Merion Golf Club was established in 1896 and has hosted more USGA championships than any other golf course in America. This week's U. S. Open will be the eighteenth such tournament held at Merion. For more information and to enjoy all the action see the tournament website [1] I would love to go but its's a long way from Texas so I will enjoy it from the comfort of my armchair. Please comment if you are able to attend.

Ardmore is a suburb of the major city of Philadelphia on its west end. Interesting enough Ardmore itself could have been one of our Namesake Cities as it was originally named "Athensville". It was renamed to Ardmore in 1873._[2] The Lincoln Highway, passes through Ardmore on US 30.

Our Namesake City for this entry is Lima, Pennsylvania which is located just 10 miles to the south west of Ardmore at the intersection of Pennsylvania Routes 352 and 452. This is just north of yet another famous US highway, US 1. Another Namesake City, "Berlin, New Jersey" lies 24 miles south east of Ardmore across the Delaware River. You may read about it and many other Namesake Cities in the book "For Namesake, a Travel Book"_[3]

Here is the Information about Lima from "For Namesake":

Middletown Township was established in 1687. The name is thought to come from its location in the center of what was then Chester County. In 1806 Phillip Yarnell obtained a license to open and operate a tavern at the Middletown Crossroads. That spot was then known as Lima, although no one knows why it was named that. The tavern was known as the Pine-Apple and became a wild place known for its cheap whiskey. It was so wild that Phillip had much difficulty in maintaining his liquor license from year to year and the place became known as Wrangletown. A post office was established there in 1832. It was originally named Hamor’s Store presumably because it was located in the general store that had been built there in 1829. A lumberyard was opened in the area about that same time. The tavern closed for good in 1836 and soon there after the name of the locality reverted back to Lima. _[4] Lima was never incorporated and is officially a Census Designated Place or CDP.

There are many attractions in the communities near Lima. Brookhaven offers the 1724 Old Chester Court House, Caleb Pusey House and Landingford Plantation. Chadds Ford has the Brandywine River Museum. Chester is on the Brandywine Scenic Byway and has Harrah’s Casino. Chester Springs offers Eagle’s Crest Vineyard, Halls Covered Bridge and Historic Yellow Springs. In Media you may visit Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation with Civil War Reenactments, Delaware County Courthouse, Hedgerow Theater, Linvilla Orchards, Media Theater for Performing Arts, Middletown Friends Meetinghouse, Pennsylvania Veterans Museum and the Turning Point Art Gallery. Newton Square has Bartrams Covered Bridge, Fox Leap Vineyards and the Paper Mill House Museum. The community of West Chester offers the American Helicopter Museum and Education Center, Brandywine Ballet, William Brinton 1704 House, Debottis Art Gallery, Harmony Hill Covered Bridge, Strodes Mill Gallery, The Arts Scene and West Chester Railroad. There are a total of fifteen covered bridges in nearby Chester County. _[5] Just a half hours drive from Lima are the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware. See all the attractions in Philadelphia at the “Visit Philly” web site _[6] and those in Wilmington at the “Visit Wilmington” web Site. _[7]

Tyler Arboretum in Media is one of the largest arboretums in the northeastern United States. It offers 650 acres of plantings and some 20 miles of trails. Nearby is Rose Tree Park. You can try your luck at fly fishing at FlyFish Pennsylvania, also in Media. Just to the north are Springton Reservoir and Ridley Creek State Park.

Notable residents of Delaware County include Danny Bonaduce, actor; Mary Ellen Clark, Olympic diver; Ed Dougherty, professional golfer; Tina Fey, actress; W.C. Fields, comedian; Harry Kalas, sportscaster; Todd Rundgren, singer-songwriter; Ethel Waters, jazz vocalist; and Ed Yarnall, Major League baseball pitcher from Lima.

Notes:

1. http://www.usopen.com/index.html

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ardmore,_PA

3. http://www.amazon.co.../dp/B00CBM6JFK/

http://www.barnesand...n=2940016722009

4. Ashmead, Henry Graham, History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L.H. Everts & Co., 1884) p. 630 http://www.delawarecountyhistory.com/documents/Delco-Ashmead.pdf

5. http://pacoveredbridges.com

6. http://www.visitphilly.com

7. http://www.visitwilmingtonde.com

Picture Credit: Wikimedia Commons - User:Smallbones Public Domain "School at Middletown Friends Meetinghouse near Lima, Pennsylvania"