1755 Preserve
1755 Preserve, a 16-acre historic property nestled in the heart of Chadds Ford, is NALT’s latest acquisition, which NALT plans to open to visitors in the future as a public preserve.
NALT's Latest Project
NALT has acquired the historic Joseph Davis House in Chadds Ford, PA, a place known for its role in the 1777 Battle of Brandywine, and where the artist N.C. Wyeth once lived and worked.
No Events Found
A Piece of History in the Heart of Chadds Ford
The North American Land Trust has worked with historic and conservation groups, as well as local and state agencies, to raise $3.6 million needed to fully acquire 1755 Preserve (locally known as the Joseph Davis Tract) in the heart of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, a place NALT has called home for over 30 years. One of those partners is the American Battlefield Trust, which was instrumental in helping NALT acquire Brinton Run Preserve in 2021.
“With so much of the Brandywine Battlefield lost to development, the Joseph Davis Tract preservation project offers an exciting opportunity to protect an important historic site for future generations,” said David N. Duncan, President of the American Battlefield Trust.
Steve Carter, President of NALT, said the land trust and its conservation, historic, and government partners collaborated to raise funds to complete the sale in early 2025.
NALT is a national land trust, but Chadds Ford is our home. We are excited about moving our headquarters to the Village of Chadds Ford and becoming a more visible part of this vibrant community.
Steve Carter, NALT President
About The Preserve
The North American Land Trust (NALT) has acquired the 16-acre historic Joseph Davis Tract in Chadds Ford, PA, which played a role in the 1777 Battle of Brandywine and where the artist, N.C. Wyeth, once lived and worked.
The historic property will now be forever protected from future development, and more will be opened to visitors as a public preserve, named 1755 Preserve; offering historical and cultural programs, hiking trails throughout the rolling fields, pollinator habitat along the trails. NALT will move our headquarters to the Joseph Davis House in the near future.
In a recent press release our President Steve Carter detailed our vision of the preserve “as an active historic, cultural, and natural resource attraction, bringing visitors from all over to Chadds Ford to share in our region’s rich cultural heritage.”
Chadds Ford Township holds the permanent easement on 1755 Preserve.
Preserve Access and Updates
1755 Preserve encompasses a rich tapestry of natural and historic features. Its meadows and open fields are being restored to native and pollinator-friendly habitat, advancing both conservation and community education goals. The property also includes the historic carriage house used by famed artist N.C. Wyeth between 1908 and 1911, and the Joseph Davis House, which will become the future headquarters for North American Land Trust (NALT), providing a permanent home that embodies NALT’s mission and deep roots in the Chadds Ford community.
As NALT staff continue work on a comprehensive site master plan, the organization is envisioning a future that will include public trail access, interpretive exhibits, and an improved entrance from Route 1, designed to welcome visitors safely. Currently, access from Route 1 is closed.
NALT hopes to open the preserve fully to the public after important infrastructure improvements are completed—potentially within the next year.
NALT hopes to open the preserve fully to the public after these important improvements are completed—potentially within the next year. In the meantime, parking, foot path, and trail access is possible thanks to our friends over at the Chadds Ford Barn Shops.
History
The historic Joseph Davis House, originally built in 1801, sits on the 16-acre tract which hosts a mosaic of sprawling meadows and forested groves, including a specimen sycamore in the West meadow. According to the Brandywine Museum of Art, N.C. Wyeth and his family lived in the house from 1907 to 1911. Wyeth converted a former carriage house into his studio, adding a skylight to his workspace. There, he created some of his major artworks including his depictions of Native Americans and his illustrations for Robert Louis Stevenson’s adventure novel “Treasure Island.”
William L. Coleman, PhD, Director of the Wyeth Study Center at the Brandywine Museum of Art, said N.C. Wyeth found the setting at the Joseph Davis House very inspirational. Coleman said that inspiration was evident in the wide range of artwork he created in the studio.
“For that reason, NALT’s plans to make this structure a publicly accessible, interpreted space is tremendously exciting and would make a major addition to the networked natural and cultural resources of our region,” Coleman said.
David N. Duncan, President of the American Battlefield Trust noted that the tract, which is along Baltimore Pike (U.S. Route 1), sits at the center of the Continental Army’s main defensive line during the Revolutionary War Battle of Brandywine. On Sept. 11, 1777, the American forces engaged the British forces but ultimately had to retreat. Duncan said American General Anthony Wayne’s Pennsylvania Division took up position on the Joseph Davis Tract and a four-gun battery overlooking Chadds Ford was set up to the left of the property.
Preserving this piece of history takes a village
Consider making a tax-deductible donation to help steward and improve this historic tract within the heart of Chadds Ford forever.
Please choose "I am contributing to 1755 Preserve" to ensure your donation is allocated towards this cause.
Click Here to Donate NowWe Continue to Grow with your support
NALT Awarded $1.8 Million to Protect Historic Property in Chadds Ford
The National Park Service announced a $1.8 million grant to help NALT acquire the Joseph Davis property in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. With the new federal grant and previous money raised, about 95% of the funding to acquire the property has been secured!
Read the News in the Philadelphia Inquirer