Brinton Run Preserve is now owned by NALT, and open to the public!
About
Located at 6 Oakland Road in Chadds Ford Township and within the Brandywine Creek Greenway, Brinton Run Preserve’s 71 acres support a variety of wildlife habitats, including woodlands, fields, streams and a pond. The preserve is also one of the most important tracts on the Brandywine Battlefield.
The former owner, Mrs. Frank Baldino, approached NALT to help find an alternative to development and to create a shared conservation solution. Through the incredible support of many, NALT now owns Brinton Run Preserve!
Brinton Run Preserve is open to the public so visitors can appreciate this piece of nature and its rich history. To ensure the property is never developed, the property has been placed under a Conservation Easement, held by Chadds Ford Township. This is NALT’s very first public preserve!
Photo Credit: NALT Biologist Wyatt Moyer
We are excited to share that Lee & Ann Terrey, Chadds Ford locals, donated two benches you will find now ready for use at the preserve. The Terrey’s are hopeful that these benches enhance your preserve experience, and we are excited to include this amenity for our preserve users. Additionally, multiple volunteer and scout projects in 2023 greatly improved preserve experience and infrastructure to include picnic tables and an outdoor education area.
Brinton Run Preserve is looking to further expand our amenities to include building out our future education center, but we need your support! We hope to install bat and bird boxes, build benches, interpretive signs and a Lenape Ethnobotany Garden. We also hope to use these funds to purchase necessary equipment for our habitat management at the property such as tractors and mowers for maintenance. Lastly, we hope to purchase education items like spotting scopes, nature explorer backpacks, and an audio tour for users to enjoy at the preserve.
In total, these items will cost around $100K to implement, but if you would like to donate towards a particular item and are curious about these donations, please reach out at our email brintonrunpreserve@nalt.org or give us a call! Please consider donating (link below) and choose “I am contributing to Brinton Run Preserve’ to ensure your donation supports your local preserve! Your donations are tax deductible and greatly appreciated.
Upcoming Events
Park Day at Brinton Run Preserve
Sunday, April 6th from 10AM to 2PM
Come join North American Land Trust for a fun-filled day at Brinton Run Preserve! This is your chance to give back and make a difference by volunteering with the American Battlefield Trust. Help preserve history and enjoy the great outdoors at the same time. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to connect with nature and fellow history enthusiasts.
History or Educational Activities
This site experienced troop movement and battle action as part of the September 11, 1777 Battle of Brandywine. North American Land Trust has invited local historian Michael Harris to conduct a walk and talk about the history of our specific preserve as part of the September 11, 1777 Battle of Brandywine. Michael will be available after the walk and talk, selling his most recent publications and engaging with the public.
Planned Activities
Invasive species removal, securing and maintaining existing native plantings, general site/trail maintenance and trash pick-up site wide.
Preserving Our Past at Brandywine Battlefield Park
Sunday, April 27th from 10AM to 3PM
NALT will host a table at Brandywine Battlefield Park for their “Preserving Our Past.”
Join in our newest event, Preserving Our Past at Brandywine Battlefield Park. This year, we will have several demonstrations and presenters. You can also learn more about our and other local efforts to preserve the park and surrounding areas of the Brandywine Valley.
If you are interested in getting on our volunteer mailing list, sign up at: www.northamericanlandtrust.org/volunteer
History
Just 3 miles from NALT headquarters, within the Dilworthtown Historic District and across from the historical Brinton 1704 House, Brinton Run Preserve played a role in a final skirmish during the Battle of the Brandywine, as you can see below.
On September 11, 1777, General George Washington was determined to prevent the British from capturing the American seat of government, Philadelphia. Taking up positions along Brandywine Creek, Washington mistakenly believed that his army blocked all fords across the Brandywine. Opposing Washington was an army of 15,500 British Regulars and Hessian troops. While one detachment demonstrated against the American front at Chadds Ford, the bulk, hidden by heavy fog, crossed further upstream. When the main British force appeared undetected on the Continental right flank, Washington dispatched troops to shore up the position. Despite putting up a stiff resistance, the Continentals were eventually overrun. A stout rearguard action and organized retreat kept the defeat from turning into disaster. Although the British went on to occupy Philadelphia, the bulk of the Continental Army survived to fight another day. All told, approximately 30,000 troops were engaged in the fighting, with nearly 1,900 combined total casualties.
– American Battlefield Trust
Funding & Vision
NALT was able to raise $3.85 million to purchase the property with financial support from the American Battlefield Trust, Chadds Ford Township, Delaware County’s Open Space and Recreation Grant Program, Mt. Cuba Center, the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program, and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Through local partnerships with the Brinton 1704 House, Chadds Ford Township and other groups, NALT hopes to create a community space where everyone is welcome to enjoy nature and appreciate the unique history of Brinton Run Preserve. We have placed place a conservation easement on Brinton Run Preserve, protecting the property in perpetuity. The conservation easement is held by Chadds Ford Township. Read more here.
NALT removed a modern home on the property and is now continuing to improve the preserve by:
- Removing invasive plants and reintroducing native plant species.
- Implementing a comprehensive trail system.
- Undertaking riparian maintenance.
- Creating opportunities for community programming with a variety of local partners.
- Creating interpretive opportunities to help passive recreational users better understand the history of the Battle of Brandywine.
Purchasing the property was the first step, but we still have a long way to go before we can complete our vision for Brinton Run Preserve and the greater community.
Help us create pollinator meadows, trails, educational programming and more by contributing to the Brinton Run Preserve operating fund.
Brinton Run Preserve is open to the public! Stay updated on our progress and get naturalist updates by signing up for our Friends of Brinton Run Preserve mailing list below or following our Facebook and Instagram pages!
Please contact us with any questions for Brinton Run Preserve. Come visit us!