2024 Town Tours and Village Walks — Recap
Posted August 27, 2024
This year's 30th anniversary of the county's Town Tours and Village Walks program saw an amazing turnout with more than 1,700 visitors coming out to explore the sites and stories of Chester County's past! In addition to the anniversary of the program itself, the tours kicked off with the celebration of West Chester Borough's 225th anniversary on June 6 and concluded with the 50th anniversary of Historic Yellow Springs on August 15.
Like previous years, the tours took place on Thursday evenings starting at 5:30 p.m., with informational sessions followed by walking tours showcasing specific buildings, artifacts, and sites along the way.
Following the kickoff in West Chester, tours included: Coventryville in South Coventry Township; Main Street at Exton in West Whiteland Township; Upland Farm in Upper Uwchlan Township; Highland Orchards in West Bradford township; White Horse Village in East Whiteland Township; Great Valley Baptist Church in Tredyffrin Township; Coventry Woods in North Coventry Township; and Yellow Springs in West Pikeland Township.
One of the tour hosts, Highland Orchards, noted, "We really enjoyed hosting and meeting all of our guests who joined us as part of the Chester County Town Tours and Village Walks program sponsored by CCPC. It was the perfect evening, and it gave us a chance to peruse old photos and chat with Bob and Elizabeth Hodge, who since the early 1950s, were instrumental in growing Highland Orchards Farm and Market into a sustainable farm enterprise. We are sending a big thank you to all the organizers and volunteers from the various Chester County and West Bradford Township offices who helped to make this evening so fruitful."
Another tour host, the Baird House in Uwchlan, said they were blown away by the turnout at their Town Tours event, with over 150 people in attendance to explore the history of the Baird House and Park including 15 informational stations. "Special thanks to everyone who was involved in organizing this event!" they added.
After Coventry Woods' Tour (which took place on a rainy evening), the host wrote: "A huge thank you to the incredible volunteers who made the event a memorable success…while embracing Mother Nature! Also special thanks to CCPC for showcasing North Coventry Township as the Town Tour program celebrates its 30th anniversary."
And Yellow Springs saw a whopping 335 attendees at their event, which was the final tour of this year's program. "What a great turnout for the Town Tours and Village Walks event last week," they said. "Thanks for letting us share our history with you!" Additionally, those who missed the tour will have the opportunity to join their group walking tours during the Yellow Springs Village Open House and Fall Festival on Sunday, October 20.
As always, we thank the many hosts, volunteers, partners, and individuals who make this event possible each summer. We look forward to seeing you next year for the program's 31st season!