What was Chadds Ford like?
Pre-Revolutionary War Chadds Ford was a small hamlet consisting of an inn
or tavern, one or two mills, a forge, and several houses. Farms made up the
surrounding countryside. This prosperous largely Quaker community of
farmers, artisans, and craftsmen was little affected by British taxes.
During the Battle of Brandywine, the pacifist Quakers maintained their
neutrality, hiding in their houses until the battle had passed.
The five-day British occupation and looting after the battle devastated
the area.

Chadds Ford area field, ca. 1935. Anna Seal Schlosser Collection,
1991.501.sch.