Just What is the Chadds Ford Historical Society All About?

By Elizabeth Rump

Quick! Can you tell me the goal of the Chadds Ford Historical Society? If someone new moved into your neighborhood, would you be able to tell them about the wonderful programs available at our historic house museums or The Barn? And why would they want to visit a barn? So what is the Historical Society about? Well, there’s Chadds Ford Days, and um, Chadds Ford Days . . . and, oh yeah, Pumpkin Carve.

Did you know that we offer programs all year long, and it is these programs that are the focus of the Mission Statement? We offer educational programs for all ages. Let’s take a brief walk through a typical year in the life of the Chadds Ford Historical Society.

In the early spring we offer the Spring Lecture Series. Typically using speakers from the Pennsylvania Humanities Program, we have had a number of interesting topics offered, from Native Americans to anti-slavery societies, from 18th century childhood, to oral history memories of early 20th century Chadds Ford.

Beginning the first weekend in May through the last weekend in September, we offer tours of our two historic house museums, the John and Elizabeth Chads House and the Barns-Brinton House. These weekend programs allow you to step back in time and explore 18th century Chadds Ford. Have you seen where all seven members of the Barns family slept? Do you know what it meant to be a child in Colonial America: your chores, what you wore, and the games you played? Have you discovered the various roles of the 18th century housewife as a wife, mother, cook and baker, healer, maker of cloth, seamstress, gardener, food preservationist... When is the last time you smelled golden brown bread fresh out of Elizabeth Chads’ beehive oven?

During the summer two 18th century culinary experts demonstrate their skills during select dates at the Barns-Brinton House. Do you know what Colonial Americans drank, what a sweetmeat is, or what Elizabeth and William Barns might have served their tavern guests? How are your cheese and butter making skills?

Into all this educational programming, add a liberal dose of school tours at the Barns-Brinton House. Time and time again, we receive excellent reviews from the students and teachers about our school tour program. Chopping vegetables for soup, baking gingerbread on the open hearth, spinning and weaving demonstrations, tours of the house by colonially garbed interpreters, and making crafts to take home, bring to life the 18th century as no amount of class work can.

In addition to school tours, we also offer group tours to adults and programs for scouts. The adults enjoy the history and architecture of our buildings, while the scouts enjoy a hands-on approach similar to that of our school tours.

The Junior Guide and Demonstrator Program consists of young people from 5th to 12th grade. This group has enjoyed sewing parts of their own colonial garb and assisted with our fall events. Over the summer they learned how to make hand-dipped candles and produced 160 candles during Chadds Ford Days. Regular meetings will begin in February.

Of course, Chadds Ford Days, the Great Pumpkin Carve, and Candlelight Christmas are also very important. It is these programs, in addition to membership dues, which provide financial backing for the Historical Society to fulfill its educational mission and maintain its properties. It is a dedicated group of individuals who plan these events. The office staff offers its support, but it is you, the members, who plan, coordinate, and execute these very successful fundraisers. Without you, our very valuable members, and those who volunteer their time on event committees, board of directors, school tours, and open weekends there would not be a Chadds Ford Historical Society.

The above programs held all year long contribute to achieving the Society’s goal or mission. A well defined mission statement is extremely important to a non-profit organization such as the Chadds Ford Historical Society. Without a mission statement, there is no direction. We would be little more than people dressing in funny clothes. In the world of non-profit organizations it is the members who are charged with fulfilling the mission. While the brave founders of our wonderful organization started the ball rolling, it is up to the current membership to keep the ball in play by providing the manpower and support to fulfill the mission and thereby achieve the Society’s goal.

So, can you tell me the Society’s goal or mission? See below if you need some help.

Mission Statement
To preserve the properties, records, and artifacts;
To interpret the history;
To educate the public;
Concerning the way of life in the Chadds Ford area with emphasis on the 18th century.
To accomplish this Mission, the Society:
*Preserves the John Chads House and Barns-Brinton House;
*Operates and maintains the Chadds Ford Historical Society’s Barn with its offices and changing museum exhibits;
*Continues historical research and collection of records and artifacts of the region;
*Educates members, the general public and school groups;
*Demonstrates domestic skills and the lifestyles of the region;
*Sponsors Chadds Ford Days, an open air colonial fair;
*Supports local community events;
*Supports preservation activities in the community;
And raises the funds necessary to carry out the above activities.

We welcome your participation. As Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.” Feel free to call the office to discuss how you can become an active participant in the Chadds Ford Historical Society.