Birmingham Township is moving ahead with plans for its 325^th anniversary. The only thing solidified, however, is the date, Aug. 27. Even the time frame has not yet been set.

Greg Kurey, from the Recreation, Parks and Open Space Committee updated the supervisors on his group’s progress on developing the event.

“I’m happy to report we’re making progress,” he said during the March 21 supervisors’ meeting.

He said the committee has identified the areas that need attention and is getting the volunteers to take care of those needs such as parking, getting vendors, kids’ attractions, handling parking and working on road closures.

One of the many things still to be decided is whether the event will be more “Birmingham Hill centric or Sandy Hollow centric,” Kurey said.

Whether the event is at Sandy Hollow or Birmingham Hill will affect parking and the possible closure of Birmingham Road.

Kurey suggested closing the road from Route 926 to New Street, but Police Chief Tom Nelling nixed that. He said if the road were to be closed at Route 926, it would have to be closed all the way to five-points. Nelling said the detour would have to go from a state route to a state route, so the detour would have to be along Route 202. Motorists would only be able to get back into the township at Brinton’s Bridge Road.

Kurey is also unsure how many people to expect. He’s hoping it would be up to 400.

Supervisors’ Chairman John Conklin said the township needs to be prepared for 300 to 400.

Kurey also said invitations would be going out to politicians. On that list are state Rep. Steve Barrar, state Sen. Dominic Pileggi, US Rep. Joe Pitts, Chester County commissioners and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett.

“This is more historical and family oriented than Pocopson’s Founders’ Day,” he said.

While many decisions remain, including the hours for the celebration, where people will park, how they will be shuttled and the number of Port-o-Potties that will be needed, supervisors are enthused.

Conklin offered use of the township Web site to drum up anticipation and build excitement.

“It’s starting to come together,” Conklin said.

The rain date is Sept. 24.

Birmingham Township was the primary site for the actual fighting during the September 1777 Battle of Brandywine. Troop movement came up Birmingham Hill and the Birmingham Friends Meeting House was a battlefield hospital and there is a mass grave for the dead from both sides in the cemetery. Gen. Lafayette was wounded at Sandy Hollow during the fight.

The township was founded in 1686. It’s believed that William Brinton, the first white settler known to have located in that section, named the township in remembrance of the town in England where he lived before coming to Pennsylvania in 1684.