Battlefield site preserved in Birmingham

The 10-acre Dilworth Farm will be spared development

BIRMINGHAM » Chester County residents can scratch the purchase of a 10.4-acre site near the Brandywine Battlefield off their preservation bucket list.

About 150 stakeholders, including politicians, land conservationists, historic preservationists and the public met Friday at the Dilworth Farm, site of armed conflict during the Revolutionary War.

The property, at 1370 Birmingham Road, was preserved in perpetuity, 240 years after the battle.

The $850,000 purchase price was paid for with $350,000 in grants from Chester County and $75,000 from contributions by members of Campaign 1776.

Half of the tab, or $475,000, was picked up by the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program.

U.S. Representatives Ryan Costello, R-6, and Patrick Meehan, R-7, helped to secure federal funding to purchase the site featuring a historic barn.

While pointing and gesturing, with his arms waving, Meehan gave a history lesson of the rolling hills on a sunny day.

Meehan showed where armies battled, at the site of the largest one-day Revolutionary War battle, to give Gen. Washington’s troops a chance to retreat.

“It preserved the army,” Meehan said. “It preserved the nation.”

Meehan thanked his fellow members of Congress for what he said was a bipartisan effort to preserve the farm formerly owned by Joe and Amy Cacchio.

“The Battle of Brandywine is something you don’t hear enough about,” Meehan said.

The Civil War Trust currently owns the site, which is slated to be conveyed to the county by the end of 2017.

“The preservation of the Dilworth Farm marks the first time the American Battlefield Protection Program’s Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants, which are funded through the Land and Conservation Fund and administered through the National Park Service, have been used at a Revolutionary War Battlefield in Pennsylvania,” reads a news release by Campaign 1776.

Costello said that every year is a battle to secure cash for the federally funded Land and Water Conservation Fund. Up to $10 million annually is at stake with the American Battlefield Protection Program.

“This reflects our character and our investment in our past and future,” Costello said about the purchase. “In Southeastern Pennsylvania, conservation and education efforts create an important partnership in preserving open spaces for future generations to understand our history, and a perfect example of this partnership is the preservation of Brandywine Battlefield.”

Historian Andrew Outten, chair of the Brandywine Battlefield Task Force, said that Washington’s “blunder” of not protecting fords on the Brandywine Creek allowed Gen. Howe and the British Army to proceed to Philadelphia.

“Although something seems impossible at the time, it can be overturned through perseverance and fortitude,” Outten said about the eventual success of Washington’s army.

Chester County Commissioner Michelle Kichline talked about quality of life issues and giving children “an inside glimpse into our history.”

Molly Morrison, president of Natural Lands, announced that her organization is working with Campaign 1776 to safeguard 88-acre Osbourne Hill, another part of Brandywine Battlefield.

“This is more than just symbolism,” Morrison said. “There are elements of place and there are elements of quality of life reflected with an eye toward the future.”

Civil War Trust President Jim Lighthizer mentioned that America is the oldest democratic republic in the world.

He talked about the site becoming an “outdoor classroom, ”at a spot where “citizen soldiers,” or ordinary people fought battles.

“If you don’t know your history, you can’t be as good a citizen as you could be,” he said. “Adding to an outdoor classroom shows us who we are, why we are and the way we are.”

The Battle of Brandywine 2017 Re-enactment is scheduled for this weekend. The mock battle will involve nearly 800 soldiers celebrating the 240th Anniversary of the Battle of Brandywine. The event will be held at Sandy Hollow Park in Birmingham Township and is free to the public.

Event organizers encourage attendees to arrive early as there are various activities and other special features planned throughout the two days. Interested attendees can access a schedule of events regarding the weekend by visiting www.brandywine2017.org

BILL RETTEW JR. – DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Anthony Gambacorta, left, and Mary Torbey, of the 1st Delaware Infantry Regiment, entertain stakeholders at Friday’s press conference to announce the preservation of Dilworth Farm at the Brandywine Battlefield.

BILL RETTEW JR. – DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA At Friday’s press conference, it was announced that the 10-acre Dilworth Farm has been preserved.

BILL RETTEW JR. – DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Members of the 1st Delaware Infantry Regiment fire muskets during Friday’s press conference announcing the preservation of Dilworth Farm.