Living in Devon: A Neighborhood Guide
This Main Line town is an oasis for horse lovers and folks who want a little of everything at their front door.
The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair / Photograph courtesy of Phelps Media Group
Most of the year, Devon flies under the radar. But for 12 days at the end of May, the unassuming Main Line suburb is the epicenter of the equestrian world thanks to the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, the oldest and largest outdoor show of its kind in the country.
But, says Compass Real Estate agent and Devon resident Marie Gordon, the town has much to recommend it even when the horses aren’t being put through their paces. For evidence, she shares the tale of two of her clients, a wealth manager and his wife.
“He was my most international client,” she says. “They lived and worked in so many different countries. They decided they wanted one of their homes here, and they chose Devon. He called the Main Line ‘the mother ship,’ because everything is right here.”
Of course, Gordon loves the horses — she lives just south of the show grounds. “Sometimes, when the Clydesdales are in town for the horse show, they exercise them in the street,” she says. “And it’s magnificent to watch the carriages go by; people camp out in their front yards.” Those yards sit in front of houses that range from modest Capes close to the show grounds to Victorian mansions a little farther out.
Terrain Cafe / Photograph courtesy of Terrain
Otherwise, Devonians hang out at Terrain Gardens at Devon Yard. This five-building complex has a garden center and a branch of Anthropologie, a cafe, wedding and event venues, and an outpost of Pizzeria Vetri.
Those who enjoy dining for a cause do so at the Black Cat Cafe, run by the nonprofit Pet Adoption and Lifecare Society. Locals also start and end their days at Pour Richard’s Coffee Company and Distillery, where some of the coffee roasted on the premises goes into the distillery’s cold brew liqueurs. Another attraction is Jenkins Arboretum & Gardens, which draws visitors to commune with nature, free of charge.
Jenkins Arboretum & Gardens / Photograph courtesy of Jenkins Arboretum & Gardens
And after all this, they might even go back to the Devon Horse Show grounds for more equestrian events between July and September.
Published as “Living in Devon” in the May 2025 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
