Preserving the Brandywine Battlefield

The day-long Battle of Brandywine had the most combatants engaged, the most casualties and covered the largest land area of any battle of the Revolution.

In 2000 the National Parks Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) produced a report to Congress on the Historical Preservation of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 sites.  Of 243 engagements, 100 sites retained historic integrity.  The study identified 30 Priority I Principal Battlefield Sites of which Brandywine Battlefield was a Class A.  There were only 4 Revolutionary War Class A, Intact and Largely Unprotected Principal Sites identified in the study.

Brandywine Battlefield Task Force, 15 township historical commissions, Brandywine Battlefield Park Associates, and many other groups and individuals have and continue to give their time freely to preserve the battlefield.  With funding from a National Parks Service ABPP grant, Chester County Planning Commission has prepared a Brandywine Battlefield Preservation Plan.  It’s completion could not have been possible without the volunteer input of the many interested parties in Chester and Delaware Counties.

Available online by clicking here: Brandywine Battlefield Preservation Plan. It has several great maps.  It suggests three Battlefield Gateways with Brandywine Battlefield Park as the Central Gateway.  Four Heritage Centers are also proposed with two identified.  Martin’s Tavern ruins have been stabilized.  Strode’s Mill has just been purchased.

The Preservation Plan recommends 13 battlefield strategic landscapes for further study.  In 2015 four of them were completed.  See them here.

On 11/11/2014 The Civil War Trust  announced here  they will lead the preservation efforts of Revolutionary War sites.  The NPS approached them about expanding into Rev War preservation which they accepted.  They have established the site Campaign 1776. On 1/19/2016 they announced a campaign to purchase the 10.4 acre Dilworth Farm property on the battlefield. Its preservation celebration was on Sept 15, 2017. A link to their Brandywine page is here.

The Museum of the American Revolution is open in Philadelphia.  See it here.  Brandywine Battlefield is one of the six museum experiences featured. Read it’s description here.

Archaeology

The battlefield encompasses a large area.  Almost all is on private land.  Please do not trespass.  Only work under the direct guidance of a trained archeologist as part of a research project.  Two organizations have members who have demonstrated a dedication to maintaining the historical integrity of a site.  BRAVO info is here.  SPHRG info is here.

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