Brandywine Battlefield Task Force
The Brandywine Battlefield National Historic Landmark was dedicated on January 20, 1961. Today, it is part of the municipalities of Birmingham, Kennett, Pennsbury, Thornbury, and Westtown, Chester County, and Chadds Ford Township, Delaware County. The Brandywine Battlefield Task Force (BBTF) was formed in 1993 as a volunteer group of municipal, state, and federal representatives along with non-profit institutions.
Member Organizations:
The municipalities within the Landmark, Delaware and Chester Counties, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Chadds Ford Historical Society,Friends of Brandywine Battlefield Historic Site, the Brandywine Conservancy, the Natural Lands Trust, the National Park Service, and Valley Forge National Historic Site.
Mission Statement
- The implementation of public and private partnerships to preserve the Brandywine Battlefield National Historic Landmark planning area.
- To educate the community about its cultural resources.
- To develop interpretation of the Battle and its historical and physical setting.
Objectives
- Create awareness of the Landmark and its significance.
- Provide technical assistance and guidance to the Landmark municipalities.
- Pursue projects to interpret the significance of the Landmark.
- Develop criteria for selecting the most significant natural, historic, and cultural resources to be protected in the Landmark.
- Seek funding sources for battlefield resources and historic landscape preservation.
- Develop mapping depicting resources based on the best available research.
Organization:
- Two Task Force meetings will be held each year to update all Task Force members.
- A municipal liaison representing each municipality will be included on the Task Force.
- At least two Steering Committee meetings will be held each year to set goals, plan future Task Force meetings, and discuss other administrative issues.
- The Steering Committee will consist of representatives of governmental and non-profit stakeholders.
- A Steering Committee member will serve a one-year term as the BBTF Chair and Recording Secretary.
- Steering Committee meeting summaries and Task Force meeting minutes and mailings shall be distributed to each municipality within the Landmark and other Task Force members.
- Three Task Force subcommittees will meet as needed, and report their activities to the Steering Committee. These subcommittees, who will all work closely with each other, are:
- Historic Landscapes, which will focus on promoting the preservation of historically significant properties through coordination between private land owners and non-profit land trusts. This subcommittee will also pursue funding opportunities through government and private grants.
- Historic Resources, which will focus on identifying, documenting, and protecting historic resources within and related to the Landmark, will include a member from each of the participating municipal historical commissions/committees. It will work closely with historical organizations and other stakeholders identified in the 2009-2010 American Battlefield Protection Program study area.
- Interpretation & Public Access, which will focus on promoting public access to historical sites for the purpose of informing visitors about the Battle of Brandywine and the Campaign of 1777. This effort may include establishing interpretive facilities, signage, interpretation programming, trail access to historic sites, and other access amenities.
Reports
MILITARY TERRAIN ANALYSIS AND PLANNING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TWO BRANDYWINE BATTLEFIELD STRATEGIC LANDSCAPES, CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Military Terrain Analysis 12-2017.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [6.7 MB]
Additional reports on the Battle of Brandywine and the Campaign of 1777 are available from the Chester County Planning Commission's website.