Call Number:

02

Repository:

Chadds Ford Historical Society

Extent:

10.0 linear feet

Language:

English

Date:

circa 1865-2013

Creator:

Chadds Ford Historical Society (Pa.)

Abstract:

Chadds Ford in Delaware County, Pennsylvania was historically a crossroads, first a fording point across the Brandywine River and later near the intersection of two train lines. It is known for its role in the Revolutionary War--the Battle of the Brandywine was fought here in 1777--and in art history--Howard Pyle's studio and students gave rise to the Brandywine School of Art, fostered by three generations of the Wyeth family. The Chadds Ford Historical Society photograph and document collection, circa 1865-2013, consists of various documents, such as deeds, correspondence, and financial papers; photographs, including daguerreotypes and tintypes; and maps; that document the people, places, and landscape of the Chadds Ford area.

"The land around Chadds Ford [Delaware County, Pennsylvania] was inhabited by the Lenni Lenape Indians centuries before the Europeans arrived. In 1638 the first European explorers, the Swedes, discovered the Brandywine [River] and by 1700 English Quakers made up most of the population in the area. In 1707 "Ye Great Road to Nottingham," now U.S. Route 1, was laid out from Baltimore to Chester. It was one of the five main routes from Philadelphia in the early 18th century. During the late 1730s and 1740s when John Chads operated a ferry service across the Brandywine, the crossing place became known as "Chads Ford." About 1827 a bridge to span the river was built.

"On September 11, 1777 Continental troops formed a line of defense along the eastern bank of the Brandywine. George Washington had chosen this spot to halt the British advance toward Philadelphia. General William Howe split his forces to outflank the Continental army in the Battle of the Brandywine. After a day of fierce fighting, the Americans retreated to Chester and the British camped on the battlefield for five days, ransacking nearby homes.

"During the 1800s the harnessing of water power for use in mill operations was a major factor in the growth of the area. The mills not only manufactured goods such as gun powder and paper, they also processed grain and timber grown in the area." ("Our Village History")

"In the late 1850s the railroad came to town. Two lines came to Chadds Ford -- the east-west running Philadelphia & Baltimore Central RR in 1858 and the north-south running Wilmington & Reading RR a few years later. The two lines met at Chadds Ford Junction, while only a few hundred yards away on the east side of the Brandywine was Chadds Ford Station. The railroads played a significant role in the economic growth of the area. Spurs were laid out to accommodate the kaolin companies where fine white potter’s clay was mined at the turn of the century. The railroad also brought city people from Wilmington and Philadelphia who discovered the lush rolling hills of the Brandywine Valley. To have a summer house in Chadds Ford became the vogue.

"It was about this time that Howard Pyle held summer art classes in Chadds Ford that attracted students from all over the country including Frank Schoonover, Maxfield Parrish, and Violet Oakley. One of them, young N.C. Wyeth from Massachusetts, came to study under Pyle and never left. Pyle’s studio and its students gave rise to the celebrated Brandywine School of Art, fostered by three generations of the Wyeth family.

"In the early 20th century the village of Chadds Ford was still a quiet crossroads surrounded by acres of farmland. After WWII, better roads and the population explosion of the 1950s brought people from the cities to the countryside transforming the rural landscape into a burgeoning suburban community." ("Our Heritage")

Bibliography:

Quoted text from: Chadds Ford Historical Society. "Our Village History" and "Our Heritage." 2012. Accessed June 18, 2013. http://www.chaddsfordhistory.org/historically-speaking/history-of-chadds-ford/ and http://www.chaddsfordhistory.org/historically-speaking/.

This collection consists of various documents, photographs, and maps that document the people, places, and landscape of the Chadds Ford area. Original documents include: deeds, newspaper issues, marriage certificates, correspondence, receipts, and broadsides.

Photographs form the bulk of the collection. A variety of photographic types are represented, including daguerreotypes, tintypes, photo prints, film negatives, glass plate negatives, and scanned photos on CDs. The photographs are sorted by size and subject (people, agriculture, buildings, etc.). Two sub-collections are the Ted Hetzel photographs (Hetzel was a photographer for local newspaper), and the Susan Houser slides of local area scenes.

The maps contained in the collection date from the 18th century to 2010 and include some originals and some copies. They provide views of the Chadds Ford area, various townships in Delaware and Chester Counties, and the Battle of the Brandywine.

Most of the documents and photographs have been cataloged in a database that is available on site.