Chadds Ford Village through the years

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Chadds Ford in 2015.

By Gene Pisasale Contributing Writer

You may be familiar with Chadds Ford history, but there are numerous little-known stories still to be told about its colorful past. Structures which once had a prominent place on the landscape have changed significantly, while others have been removed, replaced with more modern buildings which serve a completely different purpose. The area surrounding the intersection of Route 1 (Baltimore Pike) and Creek Road (Route 100) has seen several of these structures come and go. A review of their history gives you a fuller understanding of the many changes which occurred over more than 300 years, from when it was called a “village” to the present day.

Continued on Page 32 Chadds Ford, circa 1910. Photo courtesy of Chadds Ford Historical Society.

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Chadds Ford Village Sign.

In his History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Henry Graham Ashmead states that Francis Chadsey (later shortened to Chads) erected one of the earliest Continued on Page 32 mills on the Brandywine sometime after 1703. Upon his death in 1713, his property reverted to his son John, who by 1737 established a ferry across the Brandywine to meet the needs of travelers along “Ye Olde Road to Nottingham.” His rates were pretty reasonable: “Every horse and rider, four pence. Every single person on foot, three pence… Every ox, cow or heifer, four pence each… Every coach, wagon, or cart, one shilling and six pence…” Due to the occasional heavy rains which swelled the river, the ferry service became quite popular.

In Chadds Ford Then and Now, author Phyllis Recca mentions that “…the early village had a tavern, a cooper’s shop and several homes.” A colloquial misspelling of Chads’s name resulted in what we know today as Chadds Ford.

Some people may not be aware that Chadds Ford has resided in two different counties—and two different townships. In September 1789, Delaware County split off from Chester County, one of the three original counties in Pennsylvania. While Chadds Ford was situated there, the southeastern area of Chester County had been Birmingham Township. After its separation from Chester County, the southwestern area in Delaware County was also named Birmingham Township. Due to ongoing confusion, in 1996, Birmingham Township, Delaware County became Chadds Ford Township.

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Chadds Ford Village

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During the 19th century, the area added general stores and numerous homes. A 1910 photograph shows a southwest view of Chadds Ford Village, looking toward the intersection of Route 1 and Route 100, where Gallagher’s Store (later known as Work’s Store) once stood. Septuagenarians may recall the old store, which was a thriving business. Sadly, the building was torn down in 1957.

Today some younger people might think that paved highways have always been with us, but Baltimore Pike was a dirt road until 1917. The route was transformed into a paved road with a steady and even surface suitable for automobiles. A photograph of the village circa 1920 shows the improved roadway, which allowed much easier transport both north and south. More progress came in 1938: Baltimore Pike was

Continued on Page 36 Brittingham’s Blacksmith Shop in 1095. Photo courtesy of Chadds Ford Historical Society.

Brittingham’s Garage in 1937. Photo courtesy of Chadds Ford Historical Society.

Chadds Ford, circa 1920. Photo courtesy of Chadds Ford Historical Society.

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widened to three lanes. Sometime in the 1950s, it was expanded again to four lanes to accommodate far heavier vehicle usage.

In the 1960s, Peter Ochmanowicz built the Sunoco gasoline station at the intersection, providing much needed fuel to those traveling through the region. The station was later purchased by Jim Leader and today is known as Leader’s Sunoco. It has been a fixture in the village for decades. Leader’s has an enviable position: it is the only one for miles either way (north or south) on Baltimore Pike and thus gets much business from passing motorists. The intersection saw something new in 1983—a traffic light. Old timers in the area may recall waiting at a stop sign for vehicles to pass before getting “the green light” at the crossroads of Baltimore Pike and Creek Road, today a very busy intersection.

For many people, the one spot they think of in Chadds Ford is Hank’s Place. The site where Hank’s now stands has had many names. At the turn of the 20th century, Brittingham’s blacksmith shop occupied the northwest corner of the intersection. A 1905 photograph shows the establishment, which was later reconstructed as a garage and gasoline station in the 1920s. Yet another business took its place in the 1940s, when Brittingham’s Garage

was torn down and a hot dog stand was built. When the owner passed away, his granddaughter attempted to run the establishment, but had little luck until a gentleman named Hank Shupe showed up. According to Recca, Hank had been living in an apartment above Gallagher’s Store. Where she failed, Shupe experienced success. The Hank’s Place, 2015. new spot, dubbed Hank’s Place, became hugely popular. The original building was replaced in 1978 with the structure most people know today. It was expanded and remodeled after new owners Peter and Voula Skiadas took over in 1991. They ran Hank’s very successfully for 26 years, adding dozens of beautiful flowering plants, giving the corner a garden-like atmosphere. Not long after Hank’s Place was sold in 2017 to new owners Anthony and Katie Young, the success story started to falter. The COVID epidemic sharply curtailed business for it and most other restaurants. Another tragedy struck in September 2021: the remnants of Hurricane Ida ripped through the Brandywine Valley, rushing floodwaters into the intersection, which damaged Hank’s, Leader’s Sunoco and other establishments. The Youngs are waiting for a permit, hoping to rebuild, running a take-out food truck in the interim. Over more than three centuries, the village of Chadds Ford has seen many changes. Still visited by thousands who flock to the Brandywine River Museum of Art, the nearby Christian Sanderson Museum and the Chadds Ford Historical Society, Chadds Ford is awaiting a “rebirth” which hopefully will propel it successfully through the 21st century.

Shorty Steilmeir at a hot dog stand in the 1940s. Photo courtesy of Sanderson Museum.

Gene Pisasale is an historian, author and lecturer based in Kennett Square. His ten books focus on the Chester County/mid-Atlantic region. His latest book is Forgotten Founding Fathers: Pennsylvania and Delaware in the American Revolution. His books are available on his website at www.GenePisasale.com and on www. Amazon.com. Gene can be reached via e-mail at Gene@ GenePisasale.com.