A community less than a square mile in size, Sharon Hill came into its own in the 19th century. The surroundings were mostly undeveloped until 1872, when the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore Railroad ran its rails through the area. A few homes and farms dotted the landscape, and there were two passable roads. One main thoroughfare, known earlier as the Queen's Highway and now as Chester Pike, ran through the entire length of the town. With the arrival of the railroad, a town plan was developed and Sharon Hill added a few stores and businesses to its landscape. Affluent Philadelphians built their mansions along Chester Pike, and churches and schools soon followed. In 1890, Sharon Hill was incorporated as a borough when it separated from Darby Borough.