Trace Your Trails Through History
Come see the grand opening of a new Beaver Valley exhibit, in Concord!
June 2, 2016
Come see where the stills were during Prohibition; follow the establishment of the line separating Pennsylvania and Delaware; and witness the fascinating history of Beaver Valley, Concord Township’s own piece of pristine open space whose preserved natural and historical character connects the township of the present to its unique past.
Currently, Beaver Valley’s 750 acre spread of undeveloped land is a haven for runners, bikers, horseback riders, bird-watchers, and other nature-lovers alike. It is a place of recreation, preservation, and also, of history. This weekend, at the Pierce-Willits House located at 659 Smithbridge Road, the Concord Township Historical Society will highlight this history at its Third Annual Museum Opening Event. The historical house located in the middle of the Valley itself will feature an exhibit containing maps and photos that reach over 300 years back to 1701, when Beaver Valley was officially added to Concord Township’s western side. The artifacts and displays characterizing the exhibit will tell the story of the Thomas Green family and their 100-year influence at the beginning of the Valley’s history, and then continue to outline the occurrences in the Valley, ultimately tracing its role as farmland, wildlife habitat, and recreational center to the present day.
Beginning on June 4th and 5th from 1:00 to 4:00 pm, and continuing on the 4th Sunday of each month from June through October, the museum and this featured exhibit will join the Willits House’s other collections of colonial cooking implements, 19th century farming tools, and displays of Concord Township’s railroad and school-system history. Attend the opening-event and study a map of 19th-century Beaver Valley, noting how your present-day running and biking trails intersect with historic properties and notable structures that still exist in the Valley today. Follow the changing ownership of the land through four maps that mark the land’s varied possession and boundaries from 1715 to the present day. Insert yourself into Beaver Valley’s precious past, and trace the trails you treasure today back to their very inception!
If You're Going...
Date: Sun, June 26
Time: 1-4 pm
Location: Pierce-Willits House at 659 Smithbridge Road - map
Other: Plenty of parking
Additional Dates: 6/4, 6/5, 6/26, 7/24 8/28, 9/25, & 10/23 from 1-4pm
Article written by Sarah Heins
If You Found This Article Useful...
Save The Valley is funded exclusively by donations from people like you. Articles like these are critical in keeping the public informed about important issues relating to Beaver Valley but require donations to keep them going. If you find this article valuable, please consider making a donation today. No amount is too small. Your donations are a critical part of keeping this effort going. Please donate today!