Chadds Ford Township is an affluent

township A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Ca ...

in Delaware County,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. It is located about southwest of

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

. Prior to 1996, Chadds Ford Township was known as Birmingham Township; the name was changed to allow the township to correspond to both its

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...

and to distinguish itself from the adjacent Birmingham Township in Chester County. As of the 2010 census, Chadds Ford Township had a population of 3,640, up from 3,170 at the 2000 census. Chadds Ford was home to

N.C. Wyeth Newell Convers Wyeth (October 22, 1882 – October 19, 1945), known as N. C. Wyeth, was an American painter and illustrator. He was the pupil of Howard Pyle and became one of America's most well-known illustrators. Wyeth created more than 3,000 ...

, his son

Andrew Wyeth Andrew Newell Wyeth ( ; July 12, 1917 – January 16, 2009) was an American visual artist, primarily a realist painter, working predominantly in a regionalist style. He was one of the best-known U.S. artists of the middle 20th century. In his ...

, and grandson

Jamie Wyeth James Browning Wyeth (born July 6, 1946) is an American realist painter, son of Andrew Wyeth, and grandson of N.C. Wyeth. He was raised in Chadds Ford Township, Pennsylvania, and is artistic heir to the Brandywine School tradition — painter ...

. The

Brandywine Battlefield Brandywine Battlefield Historic Site is a National Historical Landmark. The historic park is owned and operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, on , near Chadds Ford, Delaware County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It i ...

(site of the

Battle of Brandywine The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American Continental Army of General George Washington and the British Army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777, as part of the Ame ...

) is located in the township, along with the

Brandywine River Museum The Brandywine Museum of Art is a museum of regional and American art located on U.S. Route 1 in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania on the banks of the Brandywine Creek. The museum showcases the work of Andrew Wyeth, a major American realist painter, an ...

, which houses much of the Wyeth collection.

Weldon Brinton Heyburn Weldon Brinton Heyburn (May 23, 1852October 17, 1912) was an American attorney and politician who served as a United States Senate, United States Senator from List of United States Senators from Idaho, Idaho from 1903 to 1912. Early life Bo ...

(1852–1912), a

U.S. senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

from

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyom ...

, was born in Chadds Ford.

History

The original name of the township, Birmingham, was given to the territory by William Brinton in remembrance of the town of the same name in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. Frances Chadsey, or Chads, improperly spelled Chadd, emigrated from

Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated Wilts) is a historic and ceremonial county in South West England with an area of . It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset to the southwest, Somerset to the west, Hampshire to the southeast, Gloucestershire ...

, England in 1689 and lived in Chichester Township until 1696 when his name first appeared in the Birmingham Township tax records. On September 11, 1777, the house owned by George Gilpin was occupied by

General Howe William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, KB PC (10 August 172912 July 1814) was a British Army officer who rose to become Commander-in-Chief of British land forces in the Colonies during the American War of Independence. Howe was one of three brot ...

of the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

during the Battle of Brandywine. The local significance of the battle is such that a 1940 guidebook noted that "a local barber displays a large sign: 'This is where Washington and Lafayette had a close shave.'" The

Chad House The Chads House (sometimes erroneously called the Chad House), which was built by John Wyeth Jr. for John Chads (also spelled Chadds), is located in Chadds Ford, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The house was built after 1712 and was added to the ...

Chadds Ford Historic District Chadds Ford Historic District is a national historic district located at Chadds Ford Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The district includes 17 contributing buildings in Chadds Ford village. Notable buildings include the Chads Ford Inn ( ...

Gilpin Homestead The Gilpin Homestead, also known as General Howe Headquarters, is a historic home which is located in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, Chadds Ford, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. His ...

and

William Painter Farm William Painter Farm is a historic home located at Chadds Ford Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1808, and is a two-story painted brick building with a late 19th- and an early 20th-century addition. The home was used as a ...

are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

The township is the westernmost in Delaware County and is bordered to the west by

Chester County Chester County may refer to: * Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States * Chester County, South Carolina, United States * Chester County, Tennessee Chester County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, th ...

, to the south by the state of

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...

, and to the east by Concord Township. The southern border of Chadds Ford Township is part of the

Twelve-Mile Circle The Twelve-Mile Circle is an approximately circular arc which forms most of the boundary between Pennsylvania and Delaware. It is not actually a circle, but rather a combination of different circular arcs that have been feathered together. It is ...

border between Delaware and Pennsylvania. Brandywine Creek forms the western boundary of the township (and of Delaware County). The village of Chadds Ford is in the northwest part of the township, and a small piece of Dilworthtown is in the northern corner of the township.

U.S. Route 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making ...

(Baltimore Pike) runs through the northern part of the township and intersects U.S. Routes 202 and

322 __NOTOC__ Year 322 ( CCCXXII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Probianus and Iulianus (or, less frequently, year 1075 ' ...

at Painters Crossroads on the township's eastern border. US 1 leads southwest toward

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

, while US 202 leads south to

Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington ( Lenape: ''Paxahakink /'' ''Pakehakink)'' is the largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish settlement in North America. It lies at the confluence of the Christina ...

, and US 322 leads east to

Chester Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...

. US 202 and 322 together lead north to West Chester. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the township has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.70%, is water.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally cool to cold winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

system, Chadds Ford Township is on the border of the

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

and

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...

. Of these two climate zones, Chadds Ford has much more in common with the

. The

hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most wide ...

is 7a

Average monthly temperatures in the village center of Chadds Ford range from 31.5 °F in January to 75.9 °F in July

Demographics

As of Census 2010, the racial makeup of the township was 89.4% White (U.S. Census), White, 1.4%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.0% Native American, 7.6%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.5% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 1.1% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 2.9% of the populatio

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 3,170 people, 1,314 households, and 910 families residing in the township. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 364.2 people per square mile (140.7/km). There were 1,338 housing units at an average density of 153.7/sq mi (59.4/km). The racial makeup of the township was 95.27% White (U.S. Census), White, 1.07%

, 0.06% Native American, 2.78%

, 0.47% from

, and 0.35% from two or more races.

of any race were 1.42% of the population. There were 1,314 households, out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.93. In the township the population was spread out, with 21.8% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 33.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males. The median income for a household in the township was $84,100, and the median income for a family was $100,795. Males had a median income of $79,650 versus $34,219 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the township was $52,974. About 4.0% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Rachel Kohl Library serves Chadds Ford Township. Chadds Ford Township lies within the

Unionville-Chadds Ford School District Unionville-Chadds Ford School District (UCFSD) is a school district in southeastern Chester County and western Delaware County, Pennsylvania, a area encompassing seven townships and serving a total of abpproximately 4,000 students. The dist ...

Notable people

Ann Wyeth McCoy American composer, pianist and painter Ann Wyeth McCoy (March 15, 1915 - November 10, 2005) was the youngest daughter of artist-illustrator N. C. Wyeth, N.C. Wyeth and the fourth of his five children. She was born in Chadds Ford Historic District, ...

Pat Meehan Patrick Leo Meehan (born October 20, 1955) is a former American Republican Party politician and federal prosecutor from Pennsylvania who represented parts of Delaware, Chester, Montgomery, Berks, and Lancaster counties in the United States Hou ...

Bill Bergey William Earl Bergey (born February 9, 1945) is a former American football linebacker who played professionally for 12 seasons, most notably with the Philadelphia Eagles of National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals ...

- former Philadelphia Eagle *

Erin Matson (field hockey) Erin Matson (born March 17, 2000) is an American former field hockey player and the current head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels field hockey team. A standout player on that team from 2018 to 2022, she led the Tar Heels to win four NCAA Ch ...

* Robin Toner - journalist

Points of interest

Brandywine Battlefield Park Brandywine Battlefield Historic Site is a National Historic Landmark, National Historical Landmark. The historic park is owned and operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, on , near Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, Chadds Ford, Del ...

** N. C. Wyeth House and Studio **"The Mills", Andrew Wyeth home and studio **

Kuerner Farm The Kuerner Farm, also known as Ring Farm, is an historic farm which is located in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. It is notable for its association with artist Andrew Wyeth, who created about one-third of his work, more than 1,000 paintings and drawi ...

Brandywine Wildflower and Native Plant Gardens The Brandywine Wildflower and Native Plant Gardens are gardens at the Brandywine River Museum, located on U.S. Route 1 beside the Brandywine Creek in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. The gardens were established in 1974 to a design by F. M. Mooberry. ...

Christian C. Sanderson Museum The Christian C. Sanderson Museum, or simply Sanderson Museum, is a museum of historical artifacts in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Chadds Ford Historic District. The items in the museum were collected over many y ...

* Twaddell's Mill and House

References

External links

Chadds Ford Township official websiteChadds Ford History
{{authority control Townships in Delaware County, Pennsylvania Townships in Pennsylvania