"It sounds bold at first, but the reasoning is straightforward. Montgomery Township has a strong community but a fragmented identity"
"Where do you live?"
For most people, that question has a simple answer. For many of us in Montgomery Township, it’s anything but simple.
When I tell someone I live “in Montgomery Township,” they often think I mean Montgomery County. If I say “North Wales,” people assume North Wales Borough. But when I say “Montgomeryville,” everyone immediately knows the general area I’m talking about.
After living here since 2020 and growing up in Lansdale, I’ve realized how common this confusion is. So, here’s a practical idea worth considering: Rename Montgomery Township to Montgomeryville Township.
It sounds bold at first, but the reasoning is straightforward. Montgomery Township has a strong community but a fragmented identity. Our boundaries overlap with multiple zip codes, and residents routinely use different town names depending on the situation. You can be standing in Fellowship Park with a Lansdale mailing address and have no idea you’re actually on Montgomery Township property. Entire neighborhoods with a North Wales zip code aren’t in North Wales Borough. And many residents simply say they live “near Montgomeryville Mall” or “in Montgomeryville,” because those references instantly make sense.
It’s tough for “Montgomery Township” to gain any real traction. With nearly 20 years experience in brand-side marketing teams and a marketing degree, I can say this without hesitation: the name doesn’t stand a chance. It’s too generic, too confusing, and completely overshadowed by the county.
Montgomeryville: The Name People Already Use
Montgomeryville isn’t just a familiar label. It’s the name that defines the main commercial and geographic anchor of the township, especially along Route 309. It’s the term businesses use because customers understand it. Even Penn Medicine, whose new site near Welsh Road isn’t technically in the Montgomeryville Census-Designated Place, has already branded it the Montgomeryville location. Major institutions don’t pick names casually; they choose what people recognize.
For decades, residents, visitors, and businesses have treated Montgomeryville as the functional name of the township. The official name just hasn’t caught up.
A Unified Name for a Unified Community
Montgomery Township offers far more than many people realize:
But because the township’s name lacks clarity, these strengths feel scattered, almost like they belong to different towns. A single, recognizable name would give residents a clearer sense of place and help unify the township’s identity. A name change won’t solve everything, but it would help tell a more cohesive story about who we are today.
Is Montgomeryville Already “Taken”?
Technically, Montgomeryville is a Census-Designated Place running from Knapp Road to County Line Road. But CDPs are statistical tools, not real municipalities. They don’t dictate how communities speak, how businesses brand themselves, or how residents identify their home.
Yes, There’s a Process
Pennsylvania doesn’t allow casual municipal rebranding. A name change would involve public hearings and action by township supervisors. And yes, there would be a cost. But a name change doesn’t require swapping out every sign, uniform, or vehicle overnight. The township could phase it in gradually and affordably, especially since it’s not a drastic or unfamiliar name.
So now I will turn it over to the real experts: the internet comments section. Would “Montgomeryville Township” strengthen our identity, or should we keep things exactly as they are?
Scott Hemmons
Montgomery Township resident
(This letter is a printed submission expressing the views and thoughts of the named writer. An op-ed is not the viewpoint nor stance of Fideri News Network nor its affiliate websites. The letter is an opinion-based submission which contains statements intended only to share the thoughts of its author and is not a fact-checked news article.)
