You’ve likely driven by Painter’s Folly about one billion times on Route 1. If you’re like me, you lived in Chadds Ford for 6+ years before knowing Painter’s Folly was “a thing.” 🤦🏼♀️
I recently wondered why Painter’s Folly appeared on township agendas and municipal budgets. Ever a sucker for my insatiable curiosity, I asked the expert, Chadds Ford neighbor Ed Worteck, for a lesson on Painter’s Folly. It turns out, Painter’s Folly is definitely “a thing,” and a pretty BFD “thing” at that.
All photos courtesy of Ed Worteck
What is Painter’s Folly?
I could give you some fancy answer, but I’m not an expert. In the video above, Worteck briefly explains the historic home’s unique place in local art and political history. Chadds Ford Township also has a page dedicated to Painter’s Folly, so head there for a deeper dive.
tl;dr: Painter’s Folly is the perfect confluence of the famous artists, notable American Revolution history, and idyllic open space that define Chadds Ford. It’s a quintessential representation of what makes Chadds Ford so “Chadds Ford.”
There’s a lot wrapped up in the luxury that we all live in the woods, five minutes from rolling horse farms, yet spitting distance from Whole Foods and Target, and a few miles from some of the most notable settings of United States history. Did I mention there’s a national park right down the road?
We’re beyond lucky for this.
Many of us could probably dig up Revolutionary War artifacts in our backyards, and George Washington may have walked through our gardens at some point. That’s pretty wild, and Painter’s Folly is part of that story.
Why Ed Worteck?
If Worteck had a LinkedIn profile, it might say something like “perfectly suited to preserve Painter’s Folly.” His qualifications include:
educational background in American history
MFA in studio art with a heavy focus on art history
worked with another professor who has expertise in the development of modern American art, specifically related to families who spent time at Painter’s Folly
professor emeritus of art and art history at Goucher College
professional photography work pertaining to the historic preservation of land and architecture
long-time Chadds Ford resident
And the man is willing to volunteer his time! Can you find a more perfect person for the job?
A few years ago, the township used Open Space funding to purchase and protect the property from development that might compromise its preservation. However, long-term property maintenance is not financially feasible for the township.
Chadds Ford Township appointed Worteck as the Painter’s Folly liaison. He’s working with various organizations and professionals to secure funding and establish a plan to preserve Painter’s Folly and honor its historic importance in perpetuity.
Ideas about future use for the property include, but aren’t limited to:
leasing it as office space,
using it as a research center for art history and history related to the Brandywine Battlefield,
rejoining it with the Brandywine Battlefield Park and working with the state of Pennsylvania to create a more robust operation around protection, promotion, purposeful use, and pride related to the Brandywine Battlefield, the Painter family, and the area’s important place in American history.
In a perfect world, Painter’s Folly would find a generous “Godmother or Godfather” (Worteck’s artistic words, not mine 🫶🏼) to create an endowment for the property. Do you know someone who might be interested? Tell them to hit up Worteck. He will take their call and their check! 😉
Government funding as an alternative option
Seeking government funding to preserve Painter’s Folly, most likely as an extension of Brandywine Battlefield Park, is an attractive option on the palette of possibilities. They’re adjacent properties with an intertwined history.
The Brandywine Battlefield, rich in tradition, hosts many historical and veteran events, yet the state has thus far failed to celebrate the park with sufficient investment and fanfare. Now is a great time to fix that.
My two cents (FWIW)
Our current federal administration seeks to tell only a particular narrative about American history. The Painter’s Folly story of Anglo-American modern art, combined with renegade patriots rising against the royal establishment in pursuit of freedom and independence, hits the sweet spot of that preferred storyline. Now might be the perfect time to exploit that single-minded storytelling objective to solicit investment in Brandywine Battlefield Park and solidify a sustainable future for Painter’s Folly.
Our government is ready to spend money, especially regarding the military. 💰 Have you seen the new $1 trillion Department of Defense budget? 💸
They’re willing to spend upwards of $45 million for one celebratory parade! Investing in a long-term Painter’s Folly x Brandywine Battlefield Park collab feels like chump change next to the parade that Trump said would cost “peanuts compared to the value of doing it.”
Yet I wouldn’t be surprised if asking for a few dollars to preserve this historic site felt less like “peanuts” and more like Oliver Twist’s porridge. Maybe we should offer to preserve the property and have a parade?! 🤔
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Either way, it can’t hurt to ask, right? Maybe they’ll find spare change between their favorite couch cushions to fund a small park and preserve a humble artistic home with big history surrounding one of the most famous battles on our path to prosperity.
From the perspective of Pennsylvania state leaders, preserving Painter’s Folly as part of the Brandywine Battlefield Park should be an electorally safe investment in our shared history. We need to choose our battles wisely to win the war. Brandywine wasn’t a resounding success for Washington in 1777, but maybe it can be a victory for Harrisburg and swampy Washington in 2025.
What can we do to help?
Great question. We’re glad you asked! Worteck shares more near the end of the video, but chat with him if you have ideas, grant-writing skills, preservation expertise, or other experience and resources that could move the project forward.
Connect with Ed if you want to get your hands dirty and help work on the preservation project, or if you know someone else who may be interested. Email him at eworteck@goucher.edu.
Let the township know you support preservation efforts for Painter’s Folly. Even though the township isn’t in the market to fund long-term maintenance projects with our tax dollars, it’s helpful for them to know that we care about the property and its history as a worthwhile use of the township’s time and efforts. Email Supervisor Kathleen Goodier to let her know: KGoodier@chaddsfordpa.gov.
Learn more about Painter’s Folly
Worteck passed along this book list if you want to learn more about Painter’s Folly. I’ve included links for each book, which you can find at most bookstores and online.
BEYOND THE MARRIAGE BED My Years as Friend, Model and Confidante of Andrew Wyeth by Helen Sipala
A memoir by the modern owner of Painter's Folly and Andrew Wyeth's friend and model, the book outlines the house's history. It offers insights into the last twenty years of Andrew Wyeth's personal and artistic life.
Artists of Wyeth Country: Howard Pyle, N. C. Wyeth, and Andrew Wyeth by W. Barksdale Maynard
The best overview of the history of art, architecture, and landscape in Chadds Ford and the greater Brandywine Valley. (This book is available at the Rachel Kohl Community Library.)
Howard Pyle: Imagining an American School of Art by Robert E. May and Jill P. May
This is the most recent and illuminating biography of Howard Pyle. It includes details about Painter's Folly, when the house hosted Pyle's art school. It also includes information about Pyle’s most successful students, including N.C. Wyeth, and his importance to developing an art movement depicting American history, landscape, and culture.
The Brandywine Battle: the untold story of its history and preservation by Catherine Quillman
A comprehensive history of developing and preserving the 35,000 acres of the battlefield landscape and the current battlefield park. The book discusses the history of the families who owned the original land and buildings, including Painter's Folly and the headquarters of Washington and Lafayette. The author is a former journalist at the Philadelphia Inquirer and Chadds Ford Historical Society board member.
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