History

Historic Homes & Museums

Brandywine Battlefield Park Rte 1, 1 mile W of Rte 202, Chadds Ford; 610-459-3342. www.ushistory.org/brandywine. 52 acres of woodlands, meadows; plus Washington's headquarters, Lafayette's quarters, artifacts, weapons, uniforms. House tours Lafayette & Washington bldgs: $5; $3.50 seniors; $2.50 ages 6-17; free ages under 6. Park free. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues-Sats, noon-5 p.m. Suns.

Caleb Pusey House 15 Race St, Upland; 610-874-5665. www.delcohistory.org/fcph. English Vernacular home built in 1683 by Pusey, millier & business partner of Wm Penn. 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Sats & Suns (May through Sept); and by appt. $1; $.75, children and students.

Christian Sanderson Museum House/museum of Christian Sanderson, the self-styled sage of Chadds Ford. Museum houses artifacts from the Revolutionary War, Battle of Brandywine & unusual items from the Brandywine Valley. Route 100, Chadds Ford; 610-388-6545. www.sandersonmuseum.org. Donations accepted. 1-4:40 p.m. Sat & Sun; other times, call for appt.

Clifton House Headquarters of the Historical Society of Ft Washington. 473 Bethlehem Pk, Fort Washington; 215-646-6065. Museum, school room, Victorian parlor, Pennsylvania Dutch kitchen & research library. Monthly meetings. 8 p.m. 3d Tue. Museum & library hours, 2-4 p.m. Weds & by appointment.

Delaware History Museum 504 Market St, Wilmington; 302-655-7161. www.hsd.org. Renovated 1940's art-deco style Woolworth's, self-guided exhibits devoted to Delaware history. Discovery rooms allow hands-on history for kids. Permanent: "Distictively Delaware:" 400 yrs of Del history. $4; $3 seniors, students; $2 ages 3-17; free under age 3. Noon-4 p.m. Mons-Fris, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sats.

Fonthill Museum E Court St, off Rte 313, Doylestown; 215-348-9461. www.fonthillmuseum.org. Tower Tour for families. 10:30 & 11:45 a.m. 1st Sats. Reservations required. Early 20th-century castle & home of manufacturer Henry Chapman Mercer, with Mercer's tile collection. $9; $8 seniors; $4 ages 5-17; free ages under 5. Mercer/Fonthill/Spruance Library joint ticket, $12; $8 ages 5-17. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mons-Sats, noon-5 p.m. Suns. Reservations recommended.

Hagley Museum & Library Rte 100 & Buck Rd, Wilmington; 302-658-2400. www.hagley.org. Original duPont powder mills, family home & gardens. $11; $9 seniors, students; $4 ages 6-14; free ages 5 & under. 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sats-Suns; weekday tours 1:30 p.m. only.

Historic Harriton House 500 Harriton Rd, Bryn Mawr; 610-525-0201. www.harritonhouse.org. Built 1704, furnished with 18th & 19th century antiques, traveling desk used by Charles Thomson, Sec to Continental & Confederation Congresses. $2.50; free under age 18. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Weds-Sats.

Historic Waynesborough 2049 Waynesborough Rd, Carriage House, Paoli; 610-647-1779. Home of Gen Anthony Wayne, built 1765, with period antiques, documents & artifacts. Guided tours. $5; $4 seniors; $3 students; free ages under 6; $12 family. 1-4 p.m. Weds-Suns.

*FREE* Historical Society of Phoenixville Area Museum & archives. 204 Church St, Phoenixville; 610-935-7646. www.phoenixvillehistoricalsociety.org. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Weds & Fris; 1-4 p.m. 1st Sun & by appt.

Lukens National Historic District Historic homes & offices of steel-mill founders: Lukens Executive Bldg, Graystone Mansion, Terracina, Rebecca Lukens House, plus National Iron and Steel Heritage Museum. Along S 1st Ave, Coatesville; 610-384-9282. www.lukensnhd.org. Call for tours and hours.

Nemours Mansion and Gardens Alfred I. DuPont's French-style chateau furnished with antique furniture, rare rugs, tapestries, and works of art. French formal gardens. 1600 Rockland Road, Wilmington; 302-651-6912. Tours: May-Nov

*FREE* Pennypacker Mills Rte 73 & Haldeman Rd, Schwenksville; 610-287-9349. www.montco.pa.org/historicsites. Women's clothing (1890-1915) exhibit: backdrops, accessories illustrate their appropriate occasions. Closes 1/31. 20th-century mansion of PA Governor Samuel W Pennypacker. Guided tours 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tues-Sats, 1-4 p.m. Suns.

*FREE* Rockwood Mansion Park 610 Shipley Rd (Washington St Extension), New Castle; 302-761-4340. Natural winding paths and Victorian Mansion; Butler's Pantry self-service café. Mansion tours 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on the hour; walking paths 7 a.m.-10 p.m.

*FREE* Swedish Log Cabin 9 Creek Rd, Drexel Hill; 610-623-1650. www.swedishcabin.org Historic log cabin built during era of New Sweden, 1638-1655. 1-4 p.m. Sats & Suns.

Thomas Massey House Lawrence & Springhouse Rds, Broomall; 610-353-3644. www.marple.net. Home of indentured servant turned landowner, with walk-in fireplace, beehive oven, late 17th- & 18th-century furniture. $2; $1 seniors, students. By appt only.

Winterthur Museum & Country Estate Rte 52 (5 miles S of Rte 1), Winterthur; 1-800-448-3883 or 302-888-4600 (TTY: 302-888-4907). www.winterthur.org. Embroiderers' Guild of America (Brandywine Valley Chapter) needlework show. Opens Tue. Closes 2/11. Joint admission with Longwood Gardens. $20. Thu through 4/30. 983-acre former country estate of Henry Francis du Pont with decorative arts (1640-1860), 60-acre garden, 3-acre children's garden. $15; $13 students & seniors; $5 ages 2-11; free under 2. Call for additional tour fees. Galleries: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues-Suns.

Historical Societies

$3 per house; age 12 & under free; Barn free. Barn open 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Mon-Fri (year-round); houses & barn also open 1-5 p.m. (5/27-9/3).

Chester County Historical Society 225 N High St, West Chester; 610-692-4800. www.chestercohistorical.org. Decorative arts gallery & hands-on History Lab. $5; $4 seniors, students; free ages 5 & under. 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mons-Sats. All Dolled Up in Old Chester County: doll display with room settings, elegant clothing. Closes 1/31.

Historical Society of Delaware 505 Market Street Mall, Wilmington; 302-655-7161 Dedicated to the exploration and preservation of Delaware history, heritage & culture. Offices: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon-Fri. Research Library: 1-5 p.m. Mons & 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue-Fri.

Lower Merion Historical Society 506 Bryn Mawr Ave, Bala Cynwyd; 610-664-3216. www.lowermerionhistory.org. Photographs, burial records, maps, atlases, vertical files, books on history of Lower Merion & Narberth. 7-9 p.m. Weds, 2-4 p.m. Sats.

Tredyffrin-Easttown Historical Society Monthly meeting. Easttown Library & Information Center, 720 1st Ave, Berwyn; 610-296-0969. $3; $1 students. 2 p.m. 3d Sun.