Let's not lose a relic of many revolutions
Structures like Painter's Folly connect us to our past and preserve a special sense of place
All photos courtesy of Ed Worteck
The Italianate house on the hill with bright green shutters, known as Painter’s Folly, hides behind lush greenery along Route 1. While it's quiet today, its life is long and storied. It has welcomed many revolutionaries of American history and been part of historically significant routes that extend well beyond Wawa and Wegmans (beloved as those institutions are).
The Painter's Folly property is adjacent to the Brandywine Battlefield, one of the most significant battlefields of the American Revolution, where soldiers fought against the tyranny of a king. The home has many historical ties to the war.
Later, the house became home to Howard Pyle’s Art School, which attracted a wealth of revolutionary artists, including the now-famous N.C. Wyeth. Vincent van Gogh thought Pyle was a pretty big deal, and Philadelphia Magazine felt the same about Painter’s Folly. Ultimately, Wyeth settled with his family in Chadds Ford, and the town became a home to the art family dynasty.
While further research is needed, there's reason to believe that Painter’s Folly is also tied to the revolutions in freedom that traveled along the Underground Railroad. Samuel Painter, the builder of Painter’s Folly, was a prominent abolitionist and editor of a Whig newspaper in Pennsylvania.
Painter’s Folly potentially on the auction block
Currently, the township is considering putting the house, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, up for public auction. Chadds Ford Township purchased the property, including all the art and artifacts in the home, with Open Space funds in 2017 to prevent it from being sold on the open market.
A group of Chadds Ford residents, as well as local, regional, and state historic preservation advocates, hope to convince the township to hold off on the auction and allow the group to explore alternative uses for the home that preserve its history without burdening the township taxpayers.
Fortunately, that research can begin in Delaware County. We already have many other similar historic properties that are managed in a responsible manner, allowing the public to enjoy the spaces while stewards care for the structures and share the stories that make them special.
As we plan America 250 events around the country to celebrate and reflect on 250 years of democracy since declaring independence from a king, it feels especially relevant to hold on to the remaining well-preserved relics of the past that remind us of and connect us to that history.
recently wrote:“In the end, preservation and conservation together make us better people. They teach us patience and humility. They encourage empathy—not just for other people, but for the natural world and all its interconnecting systems. They slow us down. They sharpen our senses. And they offer us something increasingly rare in this modern world of misinformation: perspective.” (source)
I encourage you to read his entire piece. Even for those of us, like me, who don’t come to the conversation with an established affinity for historic preservation, he makes a compelling case for the conservation of both space and structures. He suggests they create a connection to the past, roots to time and place, and a sense of stability in a world moving at a million miles an hour.
I think most of us understand Frist’s sentiments in a place like Chadds Ford. Driving south on Route 1 from the strip malls and car dealerships, across 202, and into Chadds Ford, the sense of place shifts. It feels older, deeper, maybe even slower, and a little bit more special.
Antique shops in historic homes and local bakeries in historic buildings replace big-box stores and chain restaurants. Green space abounds, and trees born before all of us create magical woodlands. Preserving places like Painter’s Folly anchors that sense of place that makes Chadds Ford unique and, quite frankly, supports strong property values.
For more information on Painter’s Folly, check out two past articles I’ve shared about its past and potential future (linked below). Hopefully, you can attend the meeting tonight (July 16 at 6 pm at the township building, 10 Ring Rd - flyer with details below) to support the request that the township pause auction considerations and give the dedicated volunteer advocates time to examine alternative futures for the storied Painter’s Folly property.
If you’re not able to attend, you can express your support via email or phone calls to the township to let them know you’d like to see more options explored before making a final decision on the fate of Painter’s Folly.
As a community, surely we can be more creative and forward-looking about the possibilities of Painter’s Folly than dumping the extremely well-preserved, nearly 200-year-old home on the market to face an uncertain future.
