Pocopson Township Historic Committee

Minutes from Meeting of February 13, 2008       7:30 PM

 

Attendees:

Pat Burnett                              

Jean Conary

Kris Firey-Poling                     

Alta Hoffman

Sarah Mims

 

Founders Day

  • Date is set for September 13, 2008, hours this year will be extended to 11-5
  • Jean represented the Historical Committee (HC) at the Planning meeting
  • 2008 theme will be Pocopson’s traditional, rural farming heritage. Activities may include cow milking contest, apple bobbing, pie eating, rope pull, etc.
  • There will be no commercial booths; will be hiring the same food vendor
  • Seeking more volunteers; maybe UCF Honor Society?
  • In 2007, some of the costs for the historical displays / events at the School House were paid for out of Founders Day funds. Nearly everything bought last year can be re-used; only new costs this year would be popsicles (if approved and if paid for out of overall Founders Day budget)
  • Jean had not committed to these two items, but asked for the HC’s decision:

      -  Hold a raffle again? Yes, not much of an effort, well-received; will ensure that phone numbers are on raffle tickets to contact winners who aren’t present

      -  Have the school open again? Yes.

 

House Tour

  • Founders Day Committee asked if this could be structured as a guided tour, offered perhaps three times during the day
  • Plan is to offer exterior tour of barns, which blends with overall theme. Three properties were discussed.
  • Transportation? All are within about 1 mile of the Park parking lot, but don’t know yet if street will be closed off
  • General Store and Log Cabin owners may be interested; Sarah to follow up with them;
  • Might decide to do just a walking tour of Locust Grove, if not this year then later
  • Will probably have prices for families and individuals, with funds staying with the HC
  • Sarah to review these ideas with the BOS at meeting on 2/25

 

 

House Tour Workshop

  • Kris and Alta attended a workshop on town tours and village walks which included how to plan one, time line for organizing, etc. Pocopson won’t do one this year, but may choose to in the future
  • Provided guidance about researching old buildings
  • County Parks & Recreation Department will be happy to work with us
  • Will need involvement from BOS for legal and insurance reasons
  • Northbrook is a great area for living history; could bring a real person “to life” to speak about what the area used to be like. Much research is already available. The Brandywine and the train run through there, which made it the commercial area of the Township, besides Pocopson. Maybe focus on Northbrook next year, and Locust Grove this year.
  • Choose houses and buildings, then present plans for tours to owners as “Here’s what we plan; would you like to participate?”, rather than “What do you want to do?”
  • Use color in advertising brochure, photos when possible; observe protocols for sources
  • We already own the artwork from the Pocopson map; could use Longmeadow Farm, school house, log cabin, general store for this year’s advertisements
  • Committee members could go on a few of these types of tours to get ideas, see what works and what doesn’t, etc.
  • Schedule for 2008, starting in June:
          -     West Chester Borough                               -     Kennett Borough

                  -     Uwchlan Twp / Lionville                             -     Malvern Borough

                  -     Modena Borough                                       -     Marshallton

                  -     Yellow Springs                                          

                  -     Unionville, St. Peter’s Village – possibilities

 

Additional ideas for House Tour (Sarah to broach with BOS at 2/25 meeting):

  • 3 barns plus (perhaps) Locust Grove general store, blacksmith shop, log cabin
  • 20 visitors at a time; 3 tours at 12, 1, and 2 p.m.
  • Start at Park, walk, end up at school house
  • Have one registration area at the Park, with sign ups in advance at the Township Office or that day
  • Five minute talk at each spot, plus travel time = 1+ hour for each tour
  • Haywagons for transportation might be an insurance issue – Sarah to ask BOS
  • Price?  $5 per person, $15 for family
  • Research on the barns will be needed. Will use primary sources exclusively, even if that means less information overall
  • May have to reduce scope if no transportation
  • Who will do the actual speaking? Jean volunteered to lead at least one tour; will need at least two people at school house throughout the day

Appraisal Fair

  • Two options were discussed.
  • Advertising will be a major effort, but not much work at the actual event
  • Decided to save the idea for next year, maybe as part of (or the Friday night before) 2009 Founders Day to build on that advertising; or if the Unionville Fair, if it folds, that weekend might be good

 

School House

Fundraising

  • Good Search – going well; publicize in newsletter
  • Genuardi’s – won’t work, only for schools
  • Federal grant: Congressman Gerlach invited us to apply after attending Founders Day last year; Sarah did so with help from Bill Sellers

 

Capital Improvements

  • Window repairs are delayed until spring
  • Public Works crew needs to re-duct tape broken glass on a street side window
  • Front door will be the next capital improvement; there’s a photo of a door from a local house that might be a good sample for a carpenter to copy, with transoms, multiple panels. Door should be painted. Sarah and Pat to get estimates; will continue to research in the meantime
  • Desk / chairs still need to be moved from present location.

 

Written History and Photos

–        New photos were shared

–        Sarah got from eBay a notification of reunion at Baker School from 1917 and Postcard of Wawaset Bridge

 

List of Historical Resources – Surveys

Kris has categorized the surveys, updated spreadsheet and bolded properties that we don’t have surveys for. There are some discrepancies between tax records and what homeowners think about when things were added

 

Follow-up Actions: Follow-up surveys to be mailed to twelve addresses.

           

Oral Histories

-               One is scheduled for later in February

-               Piano music that might have been played at the school 100 years ago will be recorded

 

Cemetery

-               Jean reported that the cemetery is totally landlocked. Does the HC want to preserve it, mark it, do more research?

-               Decided that we don’t want to publicize it too much; just catalog, research and preserve it, marking the corners of the site

-               Already have old maps, copy of deed; burial record info. African Methodist Church purchased it from the Smiths. 4 Civil War veterans are buried in that cemetery with locations identified relative to the church

-               Pat & Jean will continue to research Church property at archives on Westtown Rd.;

-               current owners mowing path, permitting access on limited basis

 

Historic Preservation Easement – request by Open Space Advisory Committee

–        Sarah has been working with the Chester County Preservation Network and has developed façade easement language for a local property

 

Other Business

  • Can the Township update zoning laws to prevent demolitions?
  • If demolition of a historic structure is scheduled, could we get photos before it’s gone?
  • Should all of Pocopson Township be designated a historic district? It would be a lot of work to apply for this special designation, and there are requirements that Pocopson may not be able to meet. About three years ago, this issue was discussed, and it was decided that the resources aren’t available to keep up with that type of effort.
  • List of Historic Resources is a good starting point for ranking properties’ historic significance. Some homes that are old have been modified so much that their original character is now limited..
  • Might Google maps and/or GIS be a help? Sarah to discuss with the PRT Committee regarding their plans in this area.
  • Community outreach important to educate residents about history of Pocopson; they can’t be interested in it if they don’t know about it

 

Board of Supervisors Meeting: At the 2/25/08 meeting, each Committee will present to the BOS their accomplishments from 2007 and goals for 2008. Sarah’s presentation will include:

·        School house improvements;

·        William Penn speaker in 2007

·        progress on written history, including 250+ photographs;

·        Arcadia book;

·        oral histories – completing at least two each year;

·        cemetery research;

·        significant results from surveys;

·        Founders Day: 80+ hours of volunteer work on school house; 300+ visitors; multiple donations;

·        plans for walking tour in 2008;

·        historic façade easement for Cousins property in draft form;

·        bylaws drafted but not yet approved

 

The March 12 meeting may be moved to March 5 at 7:30 if the Township Building is available.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 9:45 p.m..

 

 

 

_______________________________________

 

Sarah B. Mims

Chair

 

 

_______________________________________

 

Peggy Lennon, Committee Secretary