It was a walk through history, according to
Joan Dehm. Dehm, the president of the Thornbury (Delaware County) Township
Historical Society, was talking about the Living History Day held at Thornbury
Park on Sunday, April15.
Living History Day was a prelude to the
official 325th anniversary celebration of the founding of the
township.
Visitors saw 18 different displays featuring
Thornbury and its residents through the years, from colonial times to today.
There was a magician, a blacksmith, a Civil War era brass band and more.
“This is Thornbury Historical Society’s
opportunity to give something to the township in honor of our 325th anniversary. We have a
chronological walk through time,” Dehm said of the day.
When asked if there was anything specific
about Thornbury that people should know, Dehm told the story of Percifor and
Polly Frazer, active patriots during the War of Independence.
“He was a volunteer in the Colonial Army and
Polly Frazer stood up to 150 British soldiers who surrounded their house two
days after the Battle of Brandywine” Dehm said. “They raided the home and
offered her husband a special place in the British Army if she would convince
him to change sides. She answered, ‘You do not know my husband, you don’t know
me and if he were to do that I would have nothing to do with him again.’”
The official anniversary celebration begins 3
p.m. on May 12. Dehm said it’s scheduled to start with a parade followed by
carnival games and conclude with fireworks.
Living
History Day was a joint effort by the Thornbury Historical Society and Fulton
Bank of Concordville.
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.
