Birds, Bees 🐝 Butterflies 🦋 and Byways at the Brandywine
+ 🕰️ travel back in time + 🏠 historic home tours + 👣 hike of the week + more
It’s been a hot couple of weeks, and we have another place to sneak indoors and hang out in the AC! Hank’s Place has finally reopened after many years of recovering from flood damage. I suspect you already know. 👍🏼 It’s the hottest, best news around town. Have you stopped by yet?
Do you have a special place for pollinators in your camera roll?
The Brandywine Conservancy is hosting its fifth annual Pennsylvania Pollinator Photo Challenge, and you’re invited to submit an entry! If you have a knack for snapping pics of fluttering insect friends, check out more details about how to participate. Submission closes August 3.
Finding freedom in the Brandywine Valley
Are you familiar with our local history connected to the Underground Railroad? The Brandywine Valley, including places in Chadds Ford, have close ties to the Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman’s work leading enslaved people to freedom. While some information is known, research continues to explore the connections and historical significance of many local places tied to this important element of our nation’s history.
Recently, the Chester County Historic Preservation Network recognized Chadds Ford Supervisor Kathleen Goodier, resident Helene Badeau, and the township of Chadds Ford for their contribution to the “long term development and management of the Brandywine Valley Scenic Byway in Pennsylvania and for designating the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway.”
The Brandywine Valley Scenic Byway is part of the network of National Scenic Byways, roads around the country that have intrinsic qualities worth preserving and celebrating (archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and/or scenic significance). There are currently 184 of them and 4 of them are in Pennsylvania.
📚 If you enjoy reading, I recently finished All We Were Promised by Ashton Lattimore, a story about three Black women in pre-Civil War Philadelphia whose lives overlap around the search for freedom from enslavement. It was a really great book and provides another angle of context for exploring how Philadelphia and the surrounding area contributed to securing freedom for enslaved people in our country. You can purchase it at Bookshop.org to support independent bookstores 🥰 or check it out from the library!
Go back in time and Rally The Troops
Did you know our neighbors host Revolutionary War reenactments at the Brandywine Battlefield? On Saturday, August 2, from 10 am to 3 pm at Brandywine Battlefield Park, travel back in time and explore a Patriot encampment, meet historical interpreters, and see Washington’s encampment come to life. There are numerous activities for both adults and children. More information here. Event details on Facebook here.
Enjoying historic homes in our area
There are no final decisions yet on the future of Painter’s Folly. However, if you’d like to envision the potential future of the home, there are a few upcoming tours of other historic homes in the area. Mark your calendars for:
Town tour at Barnard Station in Pocopson Township on July 31.
Benjamin Ring Hour Tour on Aug 2 at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm (part of Rally the Troups event)
Gideon Gilpin House Tour on Aug at 11:30 am and 2:30 pm (part of Rally the Troups event)
🌳 Say Goodbye to Another Big Tree
With the increased frequency of windstorms that whipped through Chadds Ford over the last few years, we’ve lost so many trees. Another giant tree will move on to its next chapter in life.
PECO is doing vegetation management to limit the power outage impacts of vegetation issues. They’ve decided to take down the very large tree at Hilloch Lane and Heyburn Rd (the one you drive around that creates that little triangle in the intersection). RIP Beautiful Tree.
While that little triangle will be paved over to streamline traffic flow and increase visibility at the intersection, I hope we can plant a few new baby trees around town to replace its presence. 💚
👣 Hike of the Week 🥾
Send in your recs and photos! (details below)
Let’s start a new series. We’ll see how this goes. I’d love to feature a local hike each week (driveable from Chadds Ford in less than 60 minutes or so, but the closer the better). I’m hoping you’ll send in recommendations and pictures of your local hiking adventures.
I love hiking (so much so that I celebrated turning 40 by doing 40 different hikes around the country during the year I turned 40). With the temperatures rising, here’s a great hike I did with local friends as part of my 40 hikes that’s perfect for the height of summer.
Kelly’s Run Nature Preserve
📍9 New Village Rd, Holtwood, PA 17532 (Google Maps)
💚 Path travels along a creek that you can walk through to cool off in the summer heat! We brought elementary aged kids, and they had a blast.
Detail to send in your recommendations and photos!
I’d love to get your recommendations and see photos of your hikes around the Brandywine Valley (or anything within about 60 minutes or so of Chadds Ford). If you’re willing to share your ideas and/or photos, reply to this newsletter to email them to me (jen@honestlymodern.com). If you send along photos, I’ll assume you’re ok with me sharing them in this newsletter unless you say otherwise. Thank you!!
Looking ahead
Here are a few other events you might want to add to your calendar. Several require registration in advance. Double-check dates and times in case they’ve changed since I shared.
Lafayette Day | Sat. July 26 at 10 am at Thornbury Farm
Vineyard Tour | Sat. July 26, Aug 9, 16, 30, and Sept 13, 20 at Penns Wood Winery
Solar Astronomy | Sat. July 26 from 11 am - 1 pm at Rachel Kohl Community Library
🍑 Concord Township Farmers’ Market | Sun. July 27 from 9 am - noon at Concord Township Park (every Sunday through August 31)
Tri-County Cars and Coffee | Sun. July 27 from 11: 30 am - 1:30 pm at Chadds Ford Coffee House (Note: Instagram says 8:30 - 10:30 am and Facebook says 11:30 am - 1:30 pm, so double check the timing. As of publication, I hadn’t heard back from CFCH for clarification)
Lobster Rolls, Bubbly & Live Music | Sun. July 27 from 12 - 5 pm at Penns Wood Winery
Spirit Walk | Sun. July 27 from 12 - 5 pm at Earth Wind Fire & Ice
Book & Barrel Club | Last Sunday of each month at Penns Wood Winery
Summer Yoga Series | Tuesdays at 9:30 am (July 29 - Aug 19) at the Rachel Kohl Library (all abilities)
Exploring Habitats (STEM for Kids) | Tues. July 29 from 11 am - 12 pm at Rachel Kohl Community Library
Mah Jong Club | Tues. from 1 - 3 pm at Rachel Kohl Community Library
Storytime (CF Township x RK Library) | Weds at 9 am through August 20 at Turner’s Mill Park Pavilion (10 Ring Rd)
Michelle’s Art Pad | Wed. July 30 at Rachel Kohl Community Library; 1 pm (grades 4-6), 2 pm (grades K-3)
Art Chat: Carolyn Wyeth | Wed. July 30 from 2 - 3 pm at Brandywine Museum of Art
Knitting and Crochet Club | Thurs. at 10 am at Rachel Kohl Community Library
Museum Explorers: Family Program | Thurs. July 31 from 10 am- 12 pm at Brandywine Museum of Art
Outside Music by Lolly! (kids) | Thurs. July 31 from 11 am - 12 pm at Rachel Kohl Community Library
Barnard Station Tour | Thurs. July 31 from 5:30 - 7 pm at Barnard Station (664 South Wawaset Rd, West Chester)
Pig Roast | Thurs, July 31 from 6 - 8 pm at St. Cornelius Catholic Church (BBQ, balloon artist, face painting, moon bounce)
Concert in the Courtyard: Jump City 8 | Fri. Aug 1 at 7 pm at Brandywine Museum of Art
Rally the Troops (reenactment and historic home tours) | Sat. Aug 2 from 10 am - 3 pm at Brandywine Battlefield Park
Science Heroes (Science + Art) | Tues. Aug 5 from 10:30 - 11:00 am (Pre-K) and 11:15 am - 12:15pm (K-5) at Rachel Kohl Community Library
Silly Joe Sings | Thurs. Aug 7 from 1 - 2 pm at Rachel Kohl Community Library
Summer Stroll at the Square | Thus. Aug 7 from 5 - 7 pm at Glen Eagle Square
Paint and Sip Couples Night | Fri, Aug 8 from 5 - 7 pm at Penns Wood Winery
S2STEM Grand Opening | Sat. Aug 9 from 10 am - 6 pm at S2STEM (30 Lacrue Ave, Suite 105, Glen Mills, PA 19060)
Yoga on the Brandywine | Sat. Aug 9 from 10 - 11 am at Brandywine Museum of Art
Battle of the Bands | Sat. Aug 9 at 3 pm at Concord Township Park
Plein Air Evening at Kuerner Farm | Thurs. Aug 14 from 4 - 8 pm at Kuerner Farm
Movie in the Park: Ratatouille | Fri. Aug 15 at 7 pm at Concord Township Park
Goat Yoga | Sun. Aug 17 from 1 -2 pm at Penns Wood Winery
Guided Meditation: Candle Lit Yoga Nidra | Sun Aug 17 from 7:15 - 8 pm at The Yoga Space
Remembrance Day | Thurs. Sept 11 at 6 pm at Brandywine Battlefield Park
Chadds Ford Days | Sat. and Sun. Sept 13 - 14 at Chadds Ford Historical Society (artisans, food vendors, reenactors, demonstrators, and more)
Bike the Brandywine | Sat. Sept 20 starts at Chadds Ford Historical Society
Fluid Motion: Yoga & Art | Fri. Oct 3 from 5 - 7 pm at The Yoga Space
The Great Pumpkin Carve | Thurs - Sat. Oct 16 - 18 at Chadds Ford Historical Society
Other events to add?
In the comments, feel free to share any other events happening in and around Chadds Ford that you think our neighbors will enjoy!
Love the hiking idea and look forward to learning about new trails to explore!