Historic Resources
Heritage Tourism Plan
The plan is intended to increase heritage tourism in the county as an economic factor; encourage preservation of and investment in heritage sites and resources; and raise public awareness of the significance of historic communities and landscapes. View Publication
Brandywine Battlefield Preservation Plan
The plan presents recommendations on how to better preserve the battlefield's open spaces and historic landscapes. Over 200 historic resources are inventoried within the Brandywine Battlefield including buildings, meetinghouses, fords, and landscapes that were the location of combat and of battle-related events. View Publication
Specific Plans that implement recommendations of the Brandywine Battlefield Preservation Plan
The 2013 Brandywine Battlefield Preservation Plan recommends 13 battlefield strategic landscapes for further consideration and planning. Theses strategic landscapes are being examined in phases due to the complexity of the battle and large size of the battlefield. Plans for specific areas in Chester County and Delaware County represent phase one battlefield strategic landscapes planning. These areas in Chester County include: Marshallton Strategic Landscape, Trimble's Ford and Jefferis' Ford Strategic Landscapes, and Sconnelltown/Strode's Mill Strategic Landscape in East Bradford, West Bradford, Pocopson, and Newlin Townships. These areas in Delaware County include: Rearguard Defense Strategic Landscape and Strategic Retreat Strategic Landscape in Chadds Ford, Thornbury, and Concord Townships. Together, the four Landscapes in Chester County form the northern Brandywine Battlefield, where tactical battle staging occurred during the morning and into the afternoon the day of the battle, September 11, 1777. The Landscapes in Delaware County represent the final legs of the battle, including the ‘last stand’ of the battle and the American Retreat. Strategic Landscapes and their features are areas to focus battle-related local planning, land conservation, historic resource protection, and heritage interpretation efforts. Collectively, such planning efforts within the battlefield honor and preserve areas that exhibit Chester County's and Delaware County's role in American history and our nation's founding, and simultaneously maintain sense of place and enhanced quality of life for residents and visitors.
The Army Marched at Dawn — Southern Battlefield Strategic Landscapes Plan
The 2013 Brandywine Battlefield Preservation Plan recommended battlefield strategic landscapes for further consideration, such as battle-related local planning, land conservation, historic resource protection, and heritage interpretation efforts, to be examined in phases. A Plan is complete for: Crown Force Approach, Crown Force Encampment, Lower Flank Northern Column, and Eastern Column Advance Landscapes. The project covers: Kennett, New Garden, East Marlborough, and Pennsbury Townships and Kennett Square Borough, Chester County, as well as a portion of New Castle County DE. View Publication
Preserving Our Places, Historic Preservation Planning Manual for Chester County Communities
This planning manual promotes the implementation of Landscapes historic preservation goals and objectives. It does this by providing general information about historic preservation for Chester County municipalities, and also by discussing historic preservation planning specifically for Chester County's Urban, Suburban, and Rural landscapes. The list below provides the entire document as well as its separate chapters/appendices. View Publication
Battlefield Protection Strategies, A Guide for Brandywine Battlefield Communities
Successful protection of the Brandywine Battlefield must begin at the local level. This guide has been developed for use by the communities within the Battlefield to assist in efforts for its protection, and that of related resources. View Publication