North Wales is a borough in Montgomery County.

 

It is a suburb of Philadelphia and is one of the three historic population centers that make up the North Penn Valley, which is centered on the borough of Lansdale.

 

It is approximately 27 miles north of Center City Philadelphia.

 

Like many small boroughs in Pennsylvania, North Wales' boundaries have not kept pace with population growth.

 

In similar fashion, many businesses and residences with North Wales addresses are located in outlying townships that were never annexed by the borough, such as the Montgomery Mall in Montgomery Township.

 

As its name suggests, North Wales was settled by Welsh immigrants who named it after North Wales in Wales.

 

Part of a 1702 land grant by William Penn, the area was then a rich farming country named 'Gwynedd for the homeland of the earliest settlers. 

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In 2000, the North Wales Historic Preservation District was established by Borough Council and the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission to protect the architecture that is a visual reminder of the borough's past.

 

It is the first Historic District in the North Penn boroughs.