Key Piece Of Revolutionary War History Preserved In Chester County

WEST CHESTER, PA — Conservation leaders were joined by local officials at Dilworth Farm in West Chester on Friday to announce the acquisition and preservation of a key piece of history from the Revolutionary War.

The 10-acre tract of land at Dilworth will be preserved in perpetuity, thanks to the work of local nonprofits and Congressmen.

The announcement came just days after the 240th anniversary of the Battle of Brandywine, which took place on Sept. 11, 1777. British forces overwhelmed Gen. George Washington's Continental Army in the area, ultimately setting up a key strategic position for the fall of Philadelphia later that month.

The 10-acre tract was purchased through an American Battlefield Protection Program Land Acquisition Grant. These grants are in turn funded by the Land and Water Conservation Fund and administered by the National Park Service. The Brandywine Conservancy will hold the conservation easement on the land.

Nonprofits like the Brandywine Battlefield Task Force and Campaign 1776 were crucial in the acquisition.

"Over the years, it has been wonderful to see so many partners coming together to preserve portions of this beautiful and historically significant battlefield,” U.S. Rep. Pat Meehan said Friday. "This hallowed ground needs to be preserved as an outdoor classroom so future generations can understand the sacrifices our founding generation made. I am especially pleased that the American Battlefield Protection Program, through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, was used for the first time in the Commonwealth to preserve an important Revolutionary War battleground."

It marks the first time an American Battlefield Land Grant Program was used to protect Revolutionary War battlefield land in Pennsylvania, organizers said.

Dilworth Farm, and the nearby Dilworthtown village, was the site of some of the most intense fighting during the Battle of Brandywine. The farm is adjacent to the Dilworthtown Historic District, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The coming weekend will feature two days of living history events at Sandy Hollow Heritage Park in Birmingham Township, including an estimated 8000 Revolutionary War re-enactors.

Due to the constant threat of development in the region, battlefield preservationists knew they had to act swiftly and decisively to save the Dilworth tract.

“None of the battlefield would be preserved today if not for the work of the local community, partners and Brandywine supporters,” Michelle Kichline, chair of the Chester County Board of Commissioners said. “Although Chester County has invested roughly $4.8 million in the preservation of the Brandywine Battlefield, it is critical to have support from the National Park Service through programs like the American Battlefield Protection Program, and from all of our nonprofit conservation partners.”

With Dilworth now preserved, there are 400 preserved battlefield acres in Chester County. Brandywine, in total, measures roughly 35,000 acres.

Molly Morrison, president of hte Natural Lands Trust, is also working with Campaign 1776 to preserve another 88-acre tract of battlefield nearby, on Osborne Hill.

Images via Campaign 1776