(Aoril 2007, #007)

For Immediate Release

CHADDS FORD, PA - Ten million dollars is needed to protect the most critical property in the Brandywine Battlefield from suburban sprawl. Protection of the 113-acre property depends on contributions, and the Brandywine Conservancy has established a fund dedicated to this purpose. Donations can be made online at www.savethebattlefield.org.

Considered the largest military engagement of the Revolutionary War with over 26,000 troops, the Battle of Brandywine - fought on September 11, 1777 - was a key victory for the British. Success on the battlefield enabled the British to capture Philadelphia, while the Continental army spent an arduous winter at Valley Forge.

In 1961, the battlefield was designated as a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service, one of 26 such landmarks in Pennsylvania. The Landmark encompasses approximately ten square miles along the Brandywine River in Chester and Delaware Counties. This designation is the highest level of national recognition that can be awarded a historic resource in private ownership. But while Landmark status recognizes a site's historical importance, it does not prevent landowners from altering or developing their properties.

In the 1990s, local residents grew concerned that encroaching development would destroy the historic character of the battlefield and eliminate any meaningful interpretation of the battle in the future. A task force formed in 1993 to preserve the battlefield includes representatives from Birmingham Township, Brandywine Battlefield Park Associates, Brandywine Conservancy, Chester County Parks and Recreation, Chadds Ford Historical Society, Chester County Planning Commission, Delaware County Planning Department, Pennsbury Township, and Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

Preservation efforts have concentrated on the few remaining undeveloped properties where the heaviest action took place on the battlefield. Known as the Meetinghouse Road Corridor, five historically-significant properties comprising more than 400 acres are considered the most important for preservation. These properties remain much as they were in 1777 - open fields and dense woods. So far, four of the five most important properties have been permanently protected through conservation easements and other measures. The fifth property, owned by the Odell family, is the focus of current efforts. Ten million dollars is needed to purchase the property and create an endowment for its permanent preservation.

To date, $7 million has been raised from donors including the Chester County Commissioners' Preservation Partnership Program, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, National Park Service, Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau, R.K. Mellon Family Foundation, Longwood Foundation, Welfare Foundation, McLean Contributionship and others.

Protection of the Brandywine Battlefield is a remarkable example of how concerned citizens, conservation organizations and all levels of government can join forces to achieve an important goal. Everyone involved over many years can take pride in their endeavor to preserve American history. To win this battle against sprawl, visit www.savethebattlefield.org today and make a donation online.

Founded in 1967, the Brandywine Conservancy is a nonprofit organization that preserves the history, art and natural resources of the Brandywine Valley. The Conservancy's Environmental Management Center has been instrumental in permanently protecting more than 40,000 acres of open space in southeastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware, and the Conservancy's Brandywine River Museum has introduced millions of visitors to the area's rich artistic heritage.

For more information about the Brandywine Conservancy, call 610-388-2700 or visit www.brandywineconservancy.org.

For digital photographs to accompany this press release, please contact 610-388-8337 or lenglehart@brandywine.org.

Media Contacts:
Halsey Spruance or Lora Englehart at 610-388-8337