Blogging Along the Brandywine
You’re driving through Chadds Ford on Route 1. Road signs tell you that you’re traveling on Route 1 South, and yet your GPS eerily warns that you’re traveling west.
Heading across the Brandywine, a small sign to the right says “Brandywine Creek” and a large sign to the left proclaims “Brandywine River Museum”. Is that Rod Serling standing by the side of the road welcoming you to the Twilight Zone?
But taking out your Brandywine Valley Tourist Guide you come to the greatest mystery of all…Exactly where is the heart of the Brandywine Valley?
You all know what I mean.
Look on almost any brochure or Web site for a Brandywine Valley destination and you’ll read something like: Fine dining in the heart of the Brandywine Valley; Gracious country living in the heart of the Brandywine Valley; Award-winning service in the heart of the Brandywine Valley. It’s almost a marketing cliché. So exactly where is this heart of the Brandywine Valley?
As a resident of Chadds Ford, I’d prefer to think that we’re the heart. After all, the village witnessed fighting in the early morning hours of Sept. 11, 1777 with some of the opening cannon volleys of the largest land battle of the American Revolution. Then in the early 20th century, N.C. Wyeth came to Chadds Ford to study with Howard Pyle creating a dynasty of artists. So it must be Chadds Ford- right?
Well, no. You see there are actually two Brandywines in Chester County. (And Chadds Ford Township is in Delaware County.)
The east and west branches of the Brandywine spring to life in the Welsh Mountains in the far north-western reaches of Chester County. Nearly embracing the small town of Honey Brook, the two branches move out and away, flowing to the southeast nourishing Coatesville on the west branch and Downingtown on the east.
The two Brandywines meet just south of Rte 842, above the Lenape Picnic Park, and from there flow south as one, and enter Delaware just below Chadds Ford. Once in Delaware, the Brandywine churns over the rocks at Hagley where its power was once harnessed by 19th century mills to make gunpowder.
Then finally, at the very end of East 7th Street, in Wilmington, the Brandywine flows into the Christina River just past the once great blue rocks and Fort Christina where Peter Minuit first dropped anchor in the Kalmar Nyckel in 1638.
From its start near Honey Brook, to Wilmington, the Brandywine flows almost 60 miles. Splitting the difference, the elusive “Heart of the Brandywine Valley” could be in the area just above the forks — on Rte 162 to be exact.
Here one finds a beautifully restored village named for an 18th botanist. A Web site outlines the colorful history of two properties from 1724 to the present including Richard Woodward, Abraham Martin, John Steele and the drunkard Neal Hoopes.
It was in fact from this tiny village that Squire Cheyney rode to warn General Washington of the Red Coat’s flanking movement on that fateful September day in 1777.
But not once….not once, is there mention that this village and its inns are truly “in the heart of” the Brandywine Valley.
About Sally Denk Hoey
Sally Denk Hoey, is a Gemini - one part music and one part history. She holds a masters degree cum laude from the School of Music at West Chester University. She taught 14 years in both public and private school. Her CD "Bard of the Brandywine" was critically received during her almost 30 years as a folk singer. She currently cantors masses at St Agnes Church in West Chester where she also performs with the select Motet Choir. A recognized historian, Sally serves as a judge-captain for the south-east Pennsylvania regionals of the National History Day Competition. She has served as president of the Brandywine Battlefield Park Associates as well as the Sanderson Museum in Chadds Ford where she now curates the violin collection. Sally re-enacted with the 43rd Regiment of Foot and the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment for 19 years where she interpreted the role of a campfollower at encampments in Valley Forge, Williamsburg, Va., Monmouth, N.J. and Lexington and Concord, Mass. Sally is married to her college classmate, Thomas Hoey, otherwise known as "Mr. Sousa.”
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