Brandywine Battlefield Park status in limbo

The rough economy may have the commonwealth wash it's hands of the Brandywine Battlefield Park in Chadds Ford Township.

A study by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Historic Sites and Museums recommends that the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission cease being the administrator of the park and turn the property over to the township.

PHMC has made no decision yet, but Bob Sieber, the division chief for the commission's eastern division said PHMC will review the matter during its mid June meeting and that a decision may come at that time.

Chadds Ford Township Supervisors' Chairman George Thorpe said that it's too soon to know what will happen or for the township to react, but that he is in contact with PHMC. Thorpe is also a past president of the Battlefield Park Associates, a non profit organization that runs educational programs at the park, including Rev Times, the annual reenactment of the Battle of Brandywine.

The sustainability study reviewed 22 sites and museums across the state. For the battlefield park in Chadds Ford, the study recommended: “The highest and best use of the site is as a local park and open space. Discontinue operating Brandywine as a staffed historic site and continue to maintain the site as a passive recreational park. In the short term; PHMC will continue to maintain the park. Steps should be taken to transfer the Park to a unit of local government, such as Chadds Ford Township...”

Sieber called the recommendation the “highest and best use for the site,” adding that it should maintain “a recreational element and, of course, the historical element.”

The study added that the associates continue providing “a limited schedule of interpretation and programming during this transition period and for the future.”

“Any sort of a decision that would involve alternative administration would have to be explored and discussed, then reviewed, both from the commonwealth standpoint as well as [the park associates] and any other interested party,”Sieber said.

There are several ways for the transfer of responsibility to take place, be it to the township or any other party. Sieber said it could be in the form of a management agreement contract, or as a lease or, “down the road it could be in the form of an actual transfer of title.

A title transfer would require legislation, he added.

If the township can't or won't take over the park administration, Sieber said the commission would have to explore other areas, including selling the property. But that is the choice of last resort.

“[Selling is] officially possible but I don't think that's an alternative that the commission would explore. I can't speak for my board, but I think it's in everyone's interest to find an interested, qualified and responsible organization,” said Sieber.

He added that such an action would include “a list of restrictive covenants that would preserve the integrity of the park as well as the historic structures.”

Those structures include the Gideon Gilpin House with barn and blacksmith shop, the Benjamin Ring House – a reproduction of he original house that served as Gen. Washington's headquarters before the Battle of Brandywine -- and the Visitors' Center.

The reason for the possible shift in responsibility is financial. Sieber cited the state's budgetary constraints as part of that reason. PHMC faces a possible cut of $1.8 million dollars from its budget. He also added that, as most other non-profits, admissions and sales don't offset costs.

Sieber said it costs, roughly, little more than $347,000 per year to operate Brandywine Battlefield Park. He cited $235,600 for personnel, $26,800 for operating expenses and another $85,000 for five current maintenance projects.

On the revenue side of the ledger, he said income is in the neighborhood of $130,000 per year. Here he cited $100,000 from the associates and another $30,000 to $35,000 from admission fees.

However, the study says the park generated more than $65,000 in revenue from paid attendance during fiscal year 2007-2008.

Rich Bowers, the current treasurer and a past president of the battlefield park associates, said his group generates about $149,000 for the park with the state kicking in in about $225,000 per year.

The associates generate the money through its educational programs, summer history camp, and the operation of the museum gift shop.

If the township takes over the park, Bowers said the associate could be contracted to take over the operation of the site.

“That's just one scenario,” he said, “but we could then continue to do what we've been doing for the past 30 years. And that's to run the various programs and the museum shop.”

Those programs also include the annual reenactment of the Battle of Brandywine, known as Rev Times. Last year's event, Bowers said, was financially disastrous because rain forced the cancellation of activities on Saturday. And that has had a lingering effect.

“Unfortunately that's resulted in that we're not running Rev Times this year. It's our intention to host Rev Times again for the 235th anniversary of the battle in 2012.”

The Battle of Brandywine was fought Sept. 11, 1777 and was the largest land battle of the American War of Independence. It was a tactical loss for the colonial forces, but a strategic victory because that one day of fighting so fatigued the British that it took another five days before they could reach Philadelphia. Those five days gave members of the Continental Congress a chance to flee the city before the British arrived.

A PDF of the sustainability study may be found on the PHMC Web site, http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=512&mode=2&objID=1426
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About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.