Thirty Years of Town Walks — Success in Historic Preservation
This year's Town Tours and Village Walks program reflects on 30 years of this free summer program. Participants will see the successes of various Chester County municipalities with historic preservation. The programs will showcase individual structures, villages, and important landscapes. The 2024 program kicks off on June 6 at the Chester County History Center and ends August 15 at Yellow Springs. As always, it was a great series of events which could not have happened without our wonderful partners and volunteers!
NOTE: Preregistration is not required for any of the Town Tours. Go to the advertised starting point of the tour and register onsite.
Thursday, June 6 — West Chester
The kickoff for the 30th Town Tours, taking place at the Chester County History Center, is also honoring the Borough's 225th Anniversary. Various walking tours will trace the Borough's evolution from the Quaker farming village of Turk's Head to Chester County's County Seat, to the "Athens of Pennsylvania", to a 19th century "walking town", to a modern residential, business and educational community..
Parking & Registration: Garage at 14 E. Chestnut Street, metered street parking, metered lot at Chestnut & Church. The doors open at 5:00 to register for a tour. The kickoff starts at 5:30, and is immediately followed by the tour.
Thursday, June 13 — South Coventry
Tour the historic village or Coventryville and help us celebrate Coventryville United Methodist Church's 250th anniversary! Coventryville, founded in 1717 by Samuel Nutt, was the site of Coventry Forge, the first iron forge in Chester County. As industry grew, the village flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Parking & Registration: Warwick County Park, 191 County Park Road, Pottstown PA 19465. Tour groups will be taken via shuttle bus to Coventryville.
Thursday, June 20 — West Whiteland
Explore the Ashbridge House and Indian Run Farm, the ancestral homestead of West Whiteland's founding Thomas family. Our tour celebrates adaptive reuse of historic structures being integrated into new development.
Parking & Registration: Navigate to 259 Indian Run Street, Exton, which is a four-story apartment building. A parking lot and the Ashbridge Mansion are behind the apartments. Parking is also available at Walmart and the former Sam's Club site. The tour will begin at the mansion.
Thursday, June 27 — Upper Uwchlan
Explore the historic farmhouse, barn, and corncrib of Upland Farm successfully preserved and adaptively reused as a park with hiking trails. Both floors of the historic barn and two of the first floor rooms in the historic farmhouse will be open for the tour.
Parking & Registration: Upland Farm Park, 301 Pottstown Pike, Chester Springs
Thursday, July 11 — West Bradford
Highland Orchards has been a long-time staple in the West Bradford Township community since 1941. Visitors will be guided through 200 acres of orchards and farmland on wagons to learn more about the agribusiness and how it has enabled the preservation of land, structures, and viewsheds.
Parking & Registration: 1000 Marshallton Thorndale Road, West Chester
Thursday, July 18 — East Whiteland
Explore the Village of White Horse, mapped and settled since the early 18th century. Primarily an agricultural and limestone mining area in 1777, the Village became associated with the Battle of the Brandywine, the Battle of the Clouds and Paoli, all in September of that year, and was a prime military and supply center.
Parking & Registration: Park at 969 (Home of the Sparrow) or 967 (adapted barn) E. Swedesford Road, Exton. Volunteers will direct parking. The tour will start in the area of these two buildings.
Thursday, July 25 — Uwchlan
Tour the Baird House/Uwchlan Township Building and grounds. This property dates from 1735 with a log house that remains inside, existing alongside its other early additions. The grounds will be open for exploration and contain connecting ponds, outbuildings, log house replica, gardens, and the Veterans' Memorial.
Parking & Registration: 715 N. Ship Road, Exton
Thursday, August 1 — Tredyffrin
The tour will focus on the Baptist Church in the Great Valley, founded in 1711 by Welsh settlers. Visitors will tour the 1805 structure, as well as learn the stories of burial ground residents, including: Rev. David Jones (d. 1820), chaplain to Gen. Anthony Wayne and Rev. Leonard Fletcher (d. 1859), leader of the anti-slavery Chester County Wilberforce Society.
Parking & Registration: 945 N. Valley Forge Road, Devon
Thursday, August 8 — North Coventry
Enjoy a village walk at Coventry Woods. Multiple programs will be offered and focus on the Lenape presence in Chester County, the early iron industry in northern Chester County, "Free Love Valley" and the Battleaxe Movement, and Hopewell Big Woods, Camp Fernbrook and today's Coventry Woods.
Parking & Registration: 1954 St. Peter's Road, Pottstown
Thursday, August 15 — Yellow Springs
In 2024 Yellow Springs celebrates the 50th anniversary of their founding organization and continuous participation in Town Tours and Village Walks since its beginning. Historic Yellow Springs was formed in 1974 to preserve the quiet rural atmosphere with its 140 acres of unspoiled natural environment. The program features costumed characters from over 30 years, focusing on the eras of history evident here and the continued promotion preservation goals of the organization's founders.
Parking & Registration: 1701 Art School Road, Chester Springs. Follow signs to park at the Chester Springs Library. Doors open at 5:30.
