July 21, 2021 - ChaddsFordLive.com

Voicing visions in Concord

_1JF8174 — Residents place heart-shaped stickers on a township map to indicate their favorite locations in Concord Township.

It was just to gather information with no action planned for anytime soon, but more than two dozen people attended a Voice Your Vision meeting in Concord Township Tuesday evening.

It was the second of at least three such sessions for council members to hear what residents want to see in Concord. The July 20 session was on connectivity, open space, and trails.

According to Councilwoman Colleen Morrone, “We’re listening to residents to find out how we can make Concord the best it can be. So, tonight is an opportunity for them to come out and give us ideas and suggestions that they may have thought of but didn’t know how to voice their concerns.”

A previous session was held via Zoom, but Morrone said this was the chance to see and hear people in person to get their ideas face-to-face.

“People gravitate to parks and open space,” Morrone said, “but it’s important to hear what people think is important.”

Council President Dominic Pileggi likened it to connecting the dots.

It was a loose and informal session held in the township’s maintenance garage with residents offering opinions to a variety of questions posed by Councilwoman Vinita Deshmukh. Questions focused on what activities residents have seen and enjoyed in the township, what they would like to see in the future, and what locations need attention.

Responses ranged from more trail connectivity, both within the township and connections to other townships, to a continuation of some activities and the addition of others.

People said they like the Memorial Day parades, Halloween events, and the Fall Festival. One resident said he’d like to see some food tasting events, while others would like to see a community center and a community swimming pool. Other residents said there should be better access to the Rachel Kohl Library, and some would like a commercial downtown area, and others want an amphitheater.

A third Voice Your Vision session is scheduled for 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. July 27 at 30 Bethel Road. Once Council has gathered all the information, members will determine which ideas they think can or can’t be implemented and present those findings to the residents.

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.

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This old house, definitely

Local News Chadds Ford, Local News

Francie in her museum — Francie Chalfant shows the historical documents that were used to trace the origins of her home.

Francie Chalfant led a group of Chadds Ford history buffs on a stroll through her historical home on July 15. The land was a direct land grant from William Penn and historical evidence points to the structure pre-dating Chadds Ford itself.

“My brother Jeff found this house, which had been empty for eight years,” said Chalfant, who, with her brother, grew up just down the street from the Ridge Road property. “There was water damage, but I could afford it.” Her brother is quick to add that the place was full of bat and mouse droppings.

The house is built into the side of a hill and the main floor is decorated with maps, letters, photos, drawings, and notations – Chalfant’s curated treasure-trove of the history of the house, Chadds Ford and the Brandywine Valley.

Jeff Chalfant points out the original ceiling beams that were uncovered.

“The house was a mess,” said Jeff Chalfant, describing the white stucco exterior and pink plaster interior. He was hands-on after the purchase, working on renovating the building to make it habitable. “Underneath the plaster and lath, there were the original logs and chinking.”

Other treasures unearthed included a piece of a newspaper from 1850, allowing them to conclude that was the year the logs had been covered. In addition to the clues the house held, Francie Chalfant did her own research.

“On library microfilm, I found the original 1699 land grant,” Chalfant took a brief pause, then said, “The original owner was John Chalfont.”

The revelation that her own ancestor had owned the structure was followed by more research. “The grant was made on Dec. 4 — there would have had to be a structure already here because they couldn’t have built this in the winter.”

Her theory that the structure pre-dates the land grant was confirmed by carbon dating which put the original construction date circa 1660. After

The logs with the original limestone mortar are a focal point for the home’s living area.

conferring with historians such as Peter Craig of the Swedish-American Society and Frank Eld, an expert on Finnish log cabin, the Chalfants determined that their structure was a German log cabin and that it was originally used as a trading post and storage facility for beaver pelts.

“See the bits of red in the rocks,” Chalfant points out as we walk down to the original stone basement. “They are garnets and are all through the rocks.” The clue hints that the stone’s origins might have been the Bethel mines in today’s Garnet Valley.

“Continual research, next is Kaolin,” Chalfant responds when asked about her plans for the future. The soft, white clay was available locally and used to create pottery. In addition to adding to the museum in the living area of her house, Chalfant rents the lower floors of the original structure to guests via Airbnb and owns and operates VanCortlandt Farms, a dried flower business in Spokane, Wash.

For further information:

Chadds Ford Historical Society

Chalfont Airbnb

VanCortlandt Farms

About Karen Myers

Karen Myers lives in Pocopson Township and has written for several local publications. A strong supporter of our community, Karen has served on several non-profit boards, such as Pocopson Elementary PTO, The United Way of Southern Chester County, Chester County Art Association and Tick Tock Early Learning Center. She received her M.B.A. from the University of Delaware and worked in marketing and operations with a focus on banking.

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Police Log July 21: Thefts, crashes, drug busts

Police

Pennsylvania State Police

Media Barracks

• Police said they arrested Felicia Etter, 34, of Wilmington, on retail theft charges after she reportedly stole $700 worth of merchandise from Target in Concord Township on June 25. According to the police report, stolen items include clothing, magazines, baby items, toys, and other miscellaneous items.

• State police are investigating the theft of hygiene and cosmetic products from the CVS in Concord Township on July 9. The stolen items are valued at $224. Police are looking for an unidentified male and female who fled in a dark-colored minivan with Delaware tags.

• Donald H. Ward II, 58, of Bernardsville, N.J., was cited for failing to stop at a stop sign on Route 202 near State Farm Drive on July 18, which led to a car-motorcycle crash. The motorcyclist, a 61-year-old man from Garnet Valley, was taken to Crozer-Chester Medical Center for treatment of injuries.

Avondale Barracks

• State police arrested a 46-year-old man from West Chester for DUI following a traffic stop in Kennett Township on July 17. Police stopped the 2015 Jeep for speeding at Waywood Road and E. Baltimore Pike at 6:58 p.m. The driver was not named in the report.

• An 18-year-old male from Oxford was arrested for drug possession at Schoolhouse Road and E. Baltimore Pike. Police said they made the arrest following a vehicle search after a traffic stop on July 9. The driver consented to the search, according to the police report.

• Gerardo Cervantes-Mejia, 36, of Avondale, was arrested for criminal trespass in London Grove Township on June 25 but was also charged with drug possession when suspected methamphetamine was found while he was searched at Chester County Prison in Pocopson Township.

• A 55-year-old man from Sicklerville, N.J., and a 41-year-old woman from Atglen, were arrested on drug charges in Pennsbury Township on May 22. The arrests came after a traffic stop on Route 1 at Brinton’s Bridge Road.

• Police said they arrested a 20-year-old woman on retail theft charges on June 8. The woman, not named in the report, is accused of trying to steal two vacuum cleaners valued at $270 each and two cases of diapers.

• Michelle Gondek, 48, of Coatesville, was cited following a one-vehicle crash on N. Chatham Road in West Marlborough Township on July 17. The police report said Gondek was driving too fast for conditions and failed to negotiate a left-hand curve in the road near Wertz Road and struck a utility pole. The report also said Gondek fled the scene.

Kennett Square Police Department

Oscar Lemus-Rojas, 26, of Kennett Square, was arrested and charged with DUI and related traffic offenses after a traffic stop was initiated because of heavy front-end damage and a missing passenger headlight on the vehicle he was operating, police said. The incident occurred on July 4, at approximately 2:20 a.m., in the 500 block of Ridge Avenue, Kennett Square Borough. The report said officers saw an open can of an alcoholic beverage in the vehicle and noticed indicators suggesting intoxication. Field sobriety tests showed impairment. He was taken into custody for suspicion of DUI and submitted to a chemical test of his breath, which indicated a blood alcohol level of 0.149 percent.

About CFLive Staff

See Contributors Page https://chaddsfordlive.com/writers/

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