Landenberg Life
Landenberg Life Spring/Summer 2025
Letter from the Editor:
The White Clay Creek Preserve is the only state park in Pennsylvania designated as a preserve. That makes it special. The property was donated by the DuPont Company in 1984 for the purpose of preserving the diverse plant and animal species and the rich cultural heritage of the area. For the past 40 years, a group of dedicated residents, now known as the Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve, have maintained and provided vision for the preserve. During the four decades of their work, they have helped forge a vision that will positively impact generations to come.
In this, the first issue of Landenberg Life in 2025, we shine a spotlight on the work of the Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve.
We also introduce you to Avondale resident Matt Chapman, a true ace of aerobatics who earned a a place in the Air Show Hall of Fame after decades of aerobatic feats.
For the past several years, Mike Buck, the director of Parks & Open Space for New Garden Township, has been partnering with township staff, its Board of Directors, volunteers and several agencies to bring forth a sustainable – and green – future for the township. That vision is already underway, with long-term ideas planned for New Garden Hills and the Smedley Preserve, among other projects. Mike recently met with Landenberg Life to discuss the progress that is being made and what’s happening at New Garden Park this spring and summer.
We also look ahead to the New Garden Flying Field’s Festival of Flight Air, Car, & Tractor Show that promises to be a fun-filled weekend this summer.
We profile Brittany and Tom Watkins, two Landenberg residents with the “can-do” spirit that helped them turn a craft project with their kids into a candle-making business they call White Clay Wicks.
The photo essay highlights the trails of the Banffshire Preserve, a 61-acre property north of Chesterville Road and west of Creek Road that was acquired by Franklin Township in 2008.
We hope you enjoy these stories in this issue of Landenberg Life, and we welcome your comments and suggestions for stories to include in an upcoming issue. In the meantime, we look forward to bringing you the next issue of Landenberg Life, which will arrive in the fall of 2025.
Sincerely,
Cover Design: Tricia Hoadley
Cover Photo: Jim Coarse
‘This is part of who we are’
‘This is part of who we are’
Photo courtesy of the Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve
For the past 40 years, a group of dedicated residents – now known as the Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve – have maintained and provided vision for the 3,000acre property. Over that time,
their work has been a selfless gift that will impact generations to come
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
On the day that Brad Pedrow and his wife, Maddy, first visited what would soon become their Landenberg home in the spring of 2019, they were captivated by the near infinity views from their back deck that began with the Nivindel Farm below them and stretched far into the distance to the south, showcasing a collected vista known as the White Clay Creek Preserve.
After the couple settled into their new home, Pedrow, accompanied by his dog, Nyla, traversed the farm’s pastures and soon after, they pulled into Parking Lot #1 of the Preserve on London Tract Road and disappeared into the trailed thicket of what has become to those who visit a journey that opens the soul, soothes the heart and exposes the senses to a forever walk of sounds, sights and emotions.
At first, Pedrow did grasp the magnitude of what he and Nyla were walking through, but soon after, he absorbed the facts: the 3,050-acre White Clay Creek Preserve consumes a large part of the White Clay Creek Valley, and its topography varies from steep to gradually rolling hills and shares a boundary with Delaware’s White Clay Creek State Park in Newark. Together, both properties have become renowned for their scenery, opportunities for birdwatching and trout fishing, and for their historic features, such as lime kilns and 19th-century mills.
With his traveling companion beside him, Pedrow, an information technology manager, explored the Preserve’s trails nearly every weekend. There, he saw Eagles soar above him. He took photographs of the multi-colored fun-
gus growing along the trails. He sat at the edge of the White Clay Creek and listened to the gurgling chorus of water that tumbled over the rocks.
“If you stop moving, stop doing anything and just watch, things in the Preserve begin to make themselves known to you,” Pedrow said. “They begin to come to life. Sometimes I will cut through an open field, and I will get to the end of it and while I know there is a trail somewhere, sometimes the trail is where I think it should be and sometimes it’s not. Eventually, I will find my way back to the trail.”
On one hike through the Preserve, Pedrow came across a man cleaning a drainpipe along the trail. They began talking. It turned out that the man on the trail was Gary Kirk, who has helped clear trails throughout the Preserve for many years. Soon after, they began texting back and forth; Pedrow began keeping Kirk informed of downed trees along the trails according to bridge numbers as a method of identifying where the downed tree was located.
“One day, Gary emailed me and said, ‘How would you like to come out and help me clear the trail?’” Pedrow said. “He told me that he was a member of the Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve.”
Pedrow soon became a member of the Friends group, joined Kirk’s Swampers, and was soon volunteering his time to weed evasive plants and take on the job of maintaining two trails of his own.
Pedrow began attending meetings, and after a few months, an opening became available, and he joined the board.
Last year, he took the place of Scotty Crowder, the group’s founding chairman.
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Photos by Richard L. Gaw unless otherwise noted
London Britain Township Board Chairperson Aileen Parrish stands with some current members of The Friends of the White Clay Creek, from left, Gary Schroeder, David Hawk, Eric Baker, Paul Lagasse, John Starzmann and Timothy Barnekov.
Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve
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Activists for the area
In order to properly document the 40-year history of what is now the Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve, it is essential to introduce the many early pioneers who spearheaded the effort to make the Preserve a reality. Beginning in the 1960s, the DuPont Company had purchased all but approximately 300 acres of the White Clay Creek Watershed in anticipation of developing a new water source in New Castle County; specifically, to construct a dam along the White Clay Creek from Newark to Landenberg that would turn the valley into a reservoir and provide water to Delaware.
Opposition to DuPont’s vision came quickly and from both sides of the Pennsylvania-Delaware state line. In Delaware, the Delaware Sierra Club, the United Auto Workers Union, and concerned citizens came together; in Pennsylvania, residents whose homes were along the White Clay Creek refused to sell their land, and soon, the homeowners were joined by others who lived in New Garden, Franklin and London Britain townships and beyond.
In 1965, both factions merged to form the White Clay Watershed Association and together, they worked with New Castle County to solve its water distribution issues.
When recalling the early pioneers whose efforts ultimately saved –and formed – the White Cay Creek Preserve, London Britain Supervisor Aileen Parrish praised a roster of names: Jan Kalb, Richard and Gwen Cramer, Dorothy Miller, Dick Robinson, Don Sharp and Sally Rickerman, to name a few.
“If there was a meeting in Harrisburg about the future of this land, Jan, Gwen, Dorothy and Sally were there,” she said. “If there was a meeting in Dover, they were there. They were absolutely dedicated and remarkable indi-
viduals. Many were the wives of DuPont executives and together, they became the activists for the area, and were it not for them, I don’t know what this incredible land would look like today.”
If the first 20 years of the White Clay Watershed Association’s existence were spent providing guidance to DuPont to recalibrate its idea for a dam, their next 20 years were trained on determining the future of the property. Working with then Delaware Sen. Joe Biden and the National Park Service, the Association helped negotiate a land donation contract with DuPont that created a two-park system.
On October 16, 1984, the DuPont Company donated 1,762 acres of land, creating the White Clay Creek State Park in Delaware, the White Clay Creek State Park and Preserve in Pennsylvania, and the formation of an advisory board in November of 1984 that became known as the Bi-State Advisory Council. It was an immediate show of galvanization, made up of residents from both states: Dorothy Miller, Norman Wilder, Dr. Bernard Sweeney, William Sellers, Joseph O’Neill, James Hall, Charles Bailey, Jaqueline Peltier, Gordon Woodrow, William Toblin, Don Sharp and a young man named Gary Schroeder.
“We had a blank canvas to work with,” Schroeder said in a prior interview. “In the beginning, we met every month with lots of assignments. It was new and two states were working together to integrate a plan. There were two philosophies, two agencies, and two budgets. We were trying to do something different. This was to be low impact use; a preserve versus a state park.”
It was the work of the group that earned the entire White Clay Creek Watershed the designation to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Program.
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Photo courtesy of the Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve The spectacular colors of the White Clay Creek Preserve in Autumn.
Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve
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|Landenberg Life|
The Preserve received a designation by Congress as a National Wild and Scenic River, and in 2012, the Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve was formed as a volunteer community service organization committed to supporting the Preserve through improvement and maintenance projects, educational programs, and fundraising.
To this day, the dedication of the Friends is never-ending; in addition to building and maintaining trails, the group launched the London Tract Historical Committee in 2019 to explore methods of preserving historical structures within the Preserve, including the historic John Evans House, built in 1715 and said to be the oldest structure in the area.
The house, which was victimized by a severe fire in 2017, was on the docket to be demolished, as per an order from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), leading members of the Committee to join with several environmental and historical agencies in an effort to save it. In a May 29, 2019 letter to former State Sen. Any Dinniman, the Committee - backed by the New Garden Township Historical Commission, the White Clay Watershed Association, the White Clay Creek Wild and Scenic River Program, the London Britain Township Historical Commission and the Chester County Planning Commission - encouraged Dinniman’s office to “use its powers to halt DCNR’s demolition plan,” and allow the committee additional time to study the site and secure funding in order to preserve it.
On June 10, 2019, Dinniman wrote a letter to The Hon. Cindy Adams Dunn at DCNR, expressing his concern about the agency’s demolition plans, and requesting a site visit
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Photo courtesy of the Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve “If you stop moving, stop doing anything and just watch, things in the Preserve begin to make themselves known to you,” said Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve Chairman Brad Pedrow.
Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve
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meeting with DCNR officials and members of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and elected officials.
“Since it has become known that the DCNR has plans to demolish this structure, a significant number of my constituents have contacted me with strong opposition to the proposed removal of this historic resource,” Dinniman’s letter read. “Simply put, many in my district are concerned that the demolition of this historic property will forever remove the potential opportunity for future generations to witness a direct link to our nation’s founding.”
As a result of these collective efforts, the DCNR backed away from their plan to demolish the house, and today, the Committee is undergoing a long-term plan to stabilize and preserve the structure’s shell as part of the rich history of the White Clay Creek Preserve and the surrounding region.
“I feel our efforts to save the John Evans House would be dead if it were not for Andy Dinniman,” said Committee member John Starzmann. “I was in a panic mode when I found that the Evans House was going to be demolished, but now that the pressure is off and we know that the house will be preserved, now we have to see how we’re going to obtain various kinds of funding in order to stabilize the structure.”
‘This is part of who we are’
One day on the Preserve’s trails, Pedrow met a father who was accompanied by his son, who appeared to have mental and physical challenges and clung to his father’s shoulders as they walked.
“The father told me that even when they run into the smallest downed tree, his son cannot traverse these obstacles, so they have to turn around and go back,” he said. “I realize that for all the joy I get from the trails, there are people who can’t climb over downed trees, so it’s our responsibility to keep the trails free and clear for people like that man’s son.”
Nyla is not Pedrow’s only accompaniment at the Preserve.
“Even before I joined the Friends, I carried a trash bag with me, because while I love nature, I abhor seeing trash because it ruins the experience,” he said. “Even if I had never joined the Friends, it is important that the Preserve remains clean, because those trails are owned by everyone. It’s a sense of giving back to my com-
munity, and while I am on those trails, I may as well do something to help people.”
In 1984, Starzmann and his wife Carol moved to their Landenberg home, and although it was only three miles away from their previous home, it was a far more rural setting, beautified by its proximity to the White Clay Creek Preserve. Soon after moving, Starzmann met Phil Krause, who was in the beginning stages of forming what would become the Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve.
“Phil got me involved and took me through the proposed trails, and I joined one of the group’s subcommittees,” he said. “I wrote my first letter as a member and referred to the ‘preserve’ as a ‘park’ by mistake. Phil politely chastised me, and I don’t think I ever used the word ‘park’ in any correspondence again.
“We all do it for the simple reason that we all live here. We love the beauty of it. We love the quiet. We love its history. As we begin to know one another, we quickly find that we have a commonality among us - similar backgrounds, interests and an appreciation for something so increasingly rare as a preserve.”
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London Tract Historical Committee member David Hawk conducted a tour of the historic John Evans House in 2019.
Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve
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At the White Clay Creek Preserve parking area on Broad Run Road, there are license plates from Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, as well as New York and New England.
“The White Clay Creek Preserve is an absolute jewel to this entire region,” Parrish said. “We have had people visit Landenberg from all over the country who tell us, ‘Living here feels like you’re on vacation all the time.’ Each person tells their story about what the Preserve has meant to them.
“You live your life, and you hope to achieve things for the community, but you don’t often take the time to reflect on those gifts you have given to others. This is a remarkable gift that we have received, thanks to the many people who helped preserve it.”
Several years ago, days after Schroeder was on one of his many runs through Landenberg in training for an upcoming marathon, he spoke with Gwen Cramer.
“She told me, ‘Gary, I have been so worried about this Preserve. How do we protect this in the future?’” Schroeder said. “Here is someone who was in the twilight of her life
and yet she was concerned about the next 100 years of this property. She told me, ‘Then I saw you out there running, and I realized that we did have people who are going to take care of this in the future, and that we were all going to be okay.’
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Every year, thousands of visitors from several states visit the Preserve to enjoy its scenery and wildlife.
“It was another way of demonstrating how tied we all are to this unique concept of preserving this preserve in a way no one else has done. We have a unique property here that is very special and it’s not just a patch of land that we get to hike on. It’s not just what we do. This is part of who we are. It’s not too big a stretch to claim that the soul of the community is invested in this, and that
is a whole new depth of feeling, understanding and emotional ties that transcend just a normal walk in the woods.”
To learn more about the Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve, visit https://friendsofpawccp.org.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@ chestercounty.com.
2025 Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve Board of Directors
Brad Pedrow, Chair
Gary Kirk, Vice Chair
Deb Landers, Secretary
Erin Boyle, Finance Manager
Tim Grimme, Trustee
John Starzmann, Trustee
Jeb Bartle, Trustee
Mike Ott, Trustee
David Koppeser, Trustee
Frank Leone, Trustee
Melanie Ryan, Trustee
Gary Schroeder, Trustee
Kevin Boyle, Trustee
Chuck Franklin, Trustee
White Clay Wicks: Hand poured in Landenberg since 2023
By JP Phillips
Contributing Writer
Brittany and Tom Watkins have that “can-do” spirit. She bakes bread and tackles anything to do with home decorating. He is game for any home repair or improvement project. It is this type of attitude that helped them turn a craft project with their kids into a candle-making business they call White Clay Wicks.
By day, Brittany is an English teacher at the Delaware Military Academy, a charter school in Wilmington.
“I absolutely love it, but I was looking for something kind of creative,” she said. “And then when we started redoing the home, I found that I really love decorating and creating.” She recently received a diploma online in Interior Design from the Interior Design Institute.
While Landenberg is their home, it is not the place of their origins. Tom is from North Carolina and was transferred to the area by his employer Public Service Energy Group (PSEG), and Brittany is originally from New Jersey. While they were dating, they visited Paradocx Vineyard Winery in Landenberg, and found that that they were not only falling in love with each other, they were also developing strong emotions for the area.
Tom explained, “Eventually we were married and Brittany said, ‘If I found a place in Landenberg and it was perfect, could we look at it?’ And I said, ‘Sure.’ Then she found this house. It was not perfect, but the price was right.”
The property is up on a hill surrounded by woods, overlooking the White Clay Creek. Tom said that the home had good bones and great details, but needed all new mechanical systems and serious updating. It was left empty for years
and in foreclosure, but priced well. They have now lived here for eight years. While the house is still a work in progress, it has come a very long way—with Tom and Brittany doing all of the work and decorating themselves.
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White Clay Wicks started when Tom was browsing YouTube, trying to think of fun ways to occupy their two daughters (Peyton, now seven years old, and Tenley, five). He came across a video showing the candle-making process and how quick and easy it was.
Around that time, Brittany returned from a shopping trip with approximately six expensive fall candles for the house. At that point, Tom suggested that they try to make them instead of buying them and he showed her the video.
It was trial and error to determine the best formula for their candles.
“We did start with a soy paraffin blend,” Brittany said, “and we ended up not liking it.”
They had one of these candles in their bathroom, and it left soot marks on the ceiling. They now use 100 percent coconut and soy-blend wax for a cleaner burn. They said that Yankee candle, for example, uses paraffin which smokes more and leaves a tunnel as it burns through the wax.
They also make sure the thickness and number of wicks is appropriate for the size of the candle so it burns right to the bottom. As for scents, they add as much as the wax will hold.
“We add until it would separate, basically,” Tom said.
“So that you’re actually getting your money’s worth,” Brittany added.
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Photo by JP Phillips
Tom and Brittany Watkins in their storage room.
White Clay Wicks
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They stand 100 percent behind the quality of their candles.
“I feel like our customer service is really good,” Brittany said. “If anyone ever said there was any issue, or didn’t burn the way that they wanted it to, we would have just hundred percent sent them a new one.”
Brittany designs the beautiful labels and Tom uses a laser to engrave the wood caps that cover each candle jar.
White Clay Wicks sells their products at several locations - at Rooted in Lincoln University and Newark, Del., online sales and at candle making parties and fundraising events.
The cottage on the property was in poor condition, so they fixed it up and Brittany’s parents lived there for six years. After they moved out, they decided to use the space for candle parties. Guests bring their own drinks and snacks and can relax and socialize in the cozy space while Brittany guides them through the candle-making process.
“We can hold eight people in the cottage,” Brittany said. “Everybody gets their own little setup. They can decide how many candles they want to make, they pour their own wax, they put in their color, whatever scent they want in, mix it up and learn how to pour it. Everybody just seems to have such a good time, and we tend to host a lot of girl’s nights.”
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Photo by JP Phillips
Ingredients for a candle: Color, mica for shimmer, and scent.
Photo by JP Phillips
A display featuring White Clay Wicks in the Rooted location in Lincoln University.
White Clay Wicks
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Brittany will also come to a client’s location, and has also hosted parties at a local winery. The Watkins partnered with their first school for a fundraiser this past winter, and hope to do more of them. Their goal is to make things easy for the organization. The customers order and pay on-line, and White Clay Wicks ships directly to each home. The organization gets a nice percentage of the sales. Their brochure lists a variety of sized and colored candles with 53 scents to choose from—anything from lemon drop, to Kentucky bourbon butterscotch, to ginger and spice. Brittany explained that because they are hand-poured in small batches, it’s no problem to create just one or two of a one-off scent. Pointing to the next room where the scents are stored, Brittany said, “When you see that room, you’ll understand. I have a scent problem and I buy all of them.”
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Photo by JP Phillips
Scents and Labels. Brittany said, ’I have a scents problem...I buy them all!
White Clay Wicks
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Outside, there is a shed and barn that was completely renovated by Tom, where they keep chickens, ducks, pigs, a rabbit and goats. They sell eggs at the foot of their driveway (“White Clay Chicks”) and are hoping that their two goats will mate so the female produces milk. When asked if they will try their hands at cheese, Tom enthusiastically said, “I will, absolutely. I don’t know if she (Brittany) will participate, but I will definitely figure out how to make goat cheese.”
For more details or to place an order, visit their website at Whiteclaywicks.com.
Photo by JP Phillips Tom and Brittany Watkins pouring candles in their kitchen.
The ace of
aerobatics
Decades of feats by Avondale resident Matt Chapman earns him a place in the Air Show Hall of Fame
By Ken Mammarella Contributing Writer
Avondale resident Matt Chapman was 11 when his life changed “a thousand percent” after his father was transferred from Forks Township in Northampton County, Pensylvania to London, England.
“It was a huge culture shock,” he said. “It got me out of my small-town mentality.”
The move also inspired Chapman to become fascinated by the world of aviation. In England, the family lived across the street from a park, and he cycled through various outdoor playthings, including toy sailboats, radio-controlled boats, radio-controlled cars and finally radio-controlled airplanes.
“Something clicked,” he said. “I fell in love with airplanes.”
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Photos courtesy of Matt Chapman Matt Chapman, who’s in the International Council of Air Shows Foundation Air Show Hall of Fame for his aerobatics skills, flies inverted over the AirVenture Air Show, a huge annual convention in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Matt Chapman
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Another “Aha!” moment for the young Chapman happened when he attended his first air show, in Biggin Hill, England.
“The first act at the show featured a Pitts Special, and he blasted off right in front of us,” he said. “He just pitched and rolled and flew upside down along the ground, at 15 or 20 feet. I just looked at my dad and said to him, ‘That’s what I want to do.’ From that very first air show, that flight became seared in my mind.
“My goal was to become an air show pilot.”
Chapman returned to the United States when he was 19 and used money from selling his model airplanes to help pay for flying lessons. A few days after he earned his flight instructor rating, a friend alerted him about a wrecked Pitts Special. His mother co-signed the $3,000 loan so he could buy this project airplane. A friend challenged him to enter a contest for aerobatics, which he acknowledged is “inherently dangerous and requires so many skills I didn’t have,” he said. “I never knew I had a competitive bone in my body until that first contest, and the hook was set.” He placed third in his experience level.
Chapman was so committed to aerobatics that he lived for years without a fully furnished house so that he could allocate the money to buy a plane. Over the years, he’s built and bought about nine planes for air shows and for travel, and he is now down to two: another Pitts Special and a Lancair Legacy.
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Chapman in his second year of air show flying, in front of the Pitts Special he built.
A scene from Chapman’s last air show involved him performing a maneuver called the Diamond Pass.
Matt Chapman
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Throughout his many years as an aerobatic aviator, Chapman became not just any air show pilot. In 1994, he became the International Aerobatic Club unlimited champion and later placed third at the World Aerobatics Championships in 1998 in Slovakia. While he stopped competing in 1998, Chapman continued to entertain at air shows until he retired from aerobatics in 2019, and in 2023, he was elected to the International Council of Air Shows Foundation Air Show Hall of Fame.
Chapman’s retirement from aerobatics surprised his friends.
“They thought I was defined by my air show flying and I could not live without it because I need the limelight, need the fame, need the accolades,” he said in an interview at New Garden Flying Field. “But let me tell you, there’s no fame in air shows because it’s such a microcosm of everything in the world. Very few people know anything about who air show pilots are.”
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Chapman gets strapped into the No. 4 jet for a practice flight with the Blue Angels that was part of his last air show.
Matt Chapman
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In addition to his work as an air show pilot, Chapman became a flight instructor at the Brandywine Airport in West Goshen Township; a charter pilot in Pottstown; an air ambulance pilot in New Castle County; a corporate-jet pilot for ICI Americas and then flight engineer; and is now a co-pilot and pilot for American Airlines.
‘An outstanding individual in our industry’
“Aerobatics is a precision style of flying,” he said. “In aerobatic competition, you’re being judged against pilots in your same experience level. You can basically do whatever you want, whatever you’re capable of and whatever your airplane is capable of. My favorite is the torque roll, when the airplane goes straight up and
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Matt Chapman brought his skills as a stunt pilot to numerous air shows.
Matt Chapman
rolls around itself in the vertical line upwards. It runs out of energy – not fuel, but there was one time that happened – but the engine is still running, and the torque of engine and the propeller start rotating the airplane stationary.
“Then gravity takes over, and you start to slide back on the tail while still rotating.”
At air shows, Chapman was known for performing a rolling harrier, evoking the military jet that could take off vertically and hover.
“I’m rolling the airplane, but I’m going at a very slow airspeed, probably 50 or 60 miles per hour, and I have what’s called a very high angle of attack,” he said. “It’s all based on the thrust of the engine, and there’s very little aerodynamics involved.”
He stopped that maneuver when he bought an Xtra 330, a plane that was a little heavier with a little less power.
Matt Chapman
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Chapman has lasting memories of his final air show in Pensacola, Florida. The first occurred just before, when he was invited to fly the No. 4 airplane in a practice run by the Blue Angels, the U.S. Navy formation team.
Formation flying is intense – as little as two feet separates the planes.
“It was 45 minutes of thinking I was seconds away from death, and their flying is insane,” he said. “I was one of the very few civilians allowed to sit in on their pilot brief and debrief in their sacred room. That was very special.”
Chapman has received high praise from his colleagues in the air show industry.
“Matt has left his mark on the world of aerobatics, from being the highest placing U.S. competitor in the last many decades at the World Aerobatic Championships, to his career as a premier air show performer,” said Bill Stein, an air show performer who has flown
Chapman is hosed down – a military tradition marking a pilot’s final flight – at the end of his last air show performance by Wayne Boggs (in yellow) and Rob Rider (in blue). Formation teammate Bill Stein is still in his plane.
with Chapman. “He is humble and funny, and he is dedicated to the craft.”
“He’s a good stick and an outstanding individual in our industry,” said pilot Wayne Boggs, who nominated Chapman for the International Council of Air Shows Foundation Air Show Hall of Fame. “Not only does Matt exceed the flying ability but is an outstanding gentleman and a great American.”
In May, when Chapman turns 65, he will retire from his job as a pilot for American Airlines and plans to get a dog and a new plane.
“I just want people to respect my level of dedication and my professionalism and that I was one of the best at what I did,” he said, “and I hope that I inspired some that saw me perform to pursue their own dreams.”
Chapman gets ready for a flight in a Boeing 787, as part of what he called his “other” job as an American Airlines pilot.
|Landenberg Life Photo Essay|
RED, GREEN, ORANGE
BLUE:
The trails of the Banffshire Preserve &
Photos by Jim Coarse | Text by Richard L. Gaw
Tucked in the middle of the 61-acre Banffshire Preserve north of Chesterville Road and West of Creek Road in Franklin Township, there lives a village of gnomes.
Their presence there is both whimsical and purposeful, because they form a union with old farm roads and fisher trails, steep slopes and rolling countryside and old forest and stunning vistas that are representative of the greatest gift that living in Chester County provides: the solace of nature.
Acquired by Franklin Township in 2008, the Banffshire Preserve is defined by a circuitous series of four distinctive trails,
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designated by color - red, green, orange and blue – that give off the quiet moments of following the rays of the sun, the gurgle of the headwater streams that form the middle branch of the White Cay Creek, the freedom to cast a line in the springs, the whispering will to wander past the canopy of tulip trees and beech ferns and the giddy feeling of becoming temporarily lost in the height of the woodlands, only to rely on the hand-curated maps to guide one’s way back home.
A component of the White Clay Creek Watershed and bordered by residential subdivisions to the east and west, the Banffshire Preserve offers hikers and their families a welcome respite from the pressures of modern life, and the promise of moments spent admiring a forever view as leaves crack and crunch beneath a pair of hiking boots, that become the treasured and sacred timebends of a defined life, well lived.
Banffshire Preserve ±
The Banffshire Preserve is located north of Chesterville Road and west of Creek Road in Landenberg.
Hotel for sale, again
Hotel for sale, again Features refurbished general store and six-bedroom home
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Beginning in 2005, the Landenberg Store, as well as the Landenberg Hotel and a nearby four-unit wool house structure, were owned and managed by Bill and Beth Skalish, but after 17 years of stewardship, the couple placed Landenberg Village, LLC up for sale in August of 2023.
In less than a month, Fenix Capital Group, a real estate company that specializes in creating innovative and sustainable projects in Philadelphia and southeastern Pennsylvania, purchased Landenberg Village, LLC – now Landenberg Living, LLC -- for $1.062 million.
From the time Fenix co-owners Aaron Jones and Matt Feldman had begun to take an interest in the property, their vision was similar to their overall business plan to retrofit their acquisitions into existing communities, in much the same way they have done with a portfolio that also includes over 50 mixed-use developments, residential properties and commercial buildings.
Their goals for Landenberg Living, LLC were simple: to revamp the historic Landenberg Store and to convert the Landenberg Hotel to a six-room inn that would serve as a “staycation” for visitors to southern Chester County who desired a home base for weekends spent exploring the area’s many attractions and events. As an added bonus, those who would stay at the Landenberg Hotel would be offered three-to-four-day packages that would be tailored to their reason for staying there: outdoor sportsman activities, tours of the county’s emerging winery scene, and trips to Longwood Gardens, to name a few.
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Photo by Richard L. Gaw
The upgraded Landenberg Store has doubled its sales since it was last sold in 2023.
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|Landenberg Life| Landenberg Store
Cosmetic and infrastructure renovations to the Landenberg Store were quickly followed by a reimagination of the restaurant’s products, which now include an expanded menu that offers locally sourced products and opportunities for online ordering and catering services under the direction of store manager Diana Lagana.
Their outreach didn’t end there; Fenix sponsored community events at the store that featured live music in a music garden complete with picnic benches and strewn lights and fresh coffee from Landenberg-based Creekside Coffee Roasting Company.
Switching gears
Meanwhile, extensive renovations were underway at the hotel, and for the next year, those who patronized the store or simply drove by witnessed Fenix’s dayto-day vision to delicately transform one of southern Chester County’s most well-known places of history.
As the renovations to the hotel progressed, Jones and Feldman received some unexpected news from the Zoning Department at New Garden Township that required the partners to switch gears: the construction did not meet the township’s requirement for its fire and safety codes. In order to meet codes, it would require Fenix to invest in a fire suppression and sprinkler system, which would call for the construction of an outdoor dwelling to house a pump station.
This past November, Fenix placed the hotel and the store for sale as a package for $1.189 million.
“Our goal was to bring something to the community that would have served everyone,” Feldman said. “We asked ourselves, ‘What can we do with this property that would still benefit the Landenberg community?’ We had a full-fledge plan to revitalize the area and bring tourists and locals alike to support the Landenberg community, but at the end of the day, it is disheartening, mostly for the reason that this vision – while we truly hope that it will eventually happen – won’t happen with us. We gave this journey a full year and a half effort to try to bring this to the Landenberg community.
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As part of a sale package with the adjacent Landenberg Store, the refurbished Landenberg Hotel has been converted to a six-bedroom single-family home with stunning views of the White Clay Creek.
Photo courtesy of Keller Williams
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“We know that this a
sale, and we want to make sure that whoever purchases it succeeds. It will be a hand-held experience to prepare them for success.” Extensive
The
Photo courtesy of Keller Williams
Complete with original flooring from the 1870s, its newly designed kitchen features stainless-steel appliances, a large island with a quartz waterfall edge and barstool seating, white cabinets with glass fronts and is connected to a spacious dining area with a vaulted ceiling with charming beams and surrounded by windows and sliding doors that offer panoramic views of White Clay Creek.
Its family room flows into a more formal living room with a half bath, and a library near the entrance features built-in shelving. Off the family room and accessible from a private staircase, the home offers five bedrooms, including a private one-bedroom with a private deck and entrance at the back of the second floor.
The home’s primary bedroom on the third floor features a new ensuite bathroom with new tub and shower with glass shower enclosure, built-in shelving, a walk-in closet and a private balcony that overlooks the creek.
“We were able to revamp and refinish a lot of the original details,” Jones said. “Most of the flooring was covered by other floors that had been put on over the last several decades, but we were able to strip that back and re-finish the original pine flooring. We also applied fresh paint on the custom-made moldings and provided some extensive carpentry work, and by doing so, we have not removed the space’s original character but just let it shine a lot more through our cosmetic renovations.
“We have also taken the Landenberg Store to the next level,” Jones added. “We have more than doubled its sales, added more consistent hours, some extended summer hours, more product offerings and Diana and her staff continue to be excellent.”
“We have learned so much from this process – owning a general store and the intricacies that go into it and helping to revitalize an historic hotel,” Feldman said. “We believe it exists today as a fantastic opportunity for the right person who wants to purchase a beautiful home and run a very successful country store.
“Essentially, Landenberg Living, LLC now becomes a different concept. It now becomes our opportunity to find that right person.”
Landenberg Living, LLC is currently listed at $1.189 million. To learn more, contact Listing Agent Kristin Ciarmella of Keller Williams at 484-279-0362.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@ chestercounty.com.
A look ahead to the New Garden Flying Field’s Festival of Flight Air, Car, & Tractor Show
The 2025 Festival of Flight Air, Car, & Tractor Show will take place over a full weekend at the New Garden Flying Field beginning on August 23. The popular annual event, which attracts thousands of visitors, will feature two days of amazing aerobatics (both day and night shows), great car displays, antique and military air-
craft, and much more. The family fun includes food vendors, craft vendors, and a Kid Zone.
Gates will open at 2 p.m. on August 23 and the show will close that evening at 10 p.m.
Gates will open at 10 a.m. on August 24 and the show will close at 5 p.m.
The New Garden Flying Field is located at 1235 Newark Road in Toughkenamon.
Follow the New Garden Flying Field on social media or visit the website at www.newgardenflyingfield.com for updates on the schedule and ticket information.
Photo courtesy of New Garden Flying Field
The New Garden Flying Field plays host to one of the most popular annual events in the area. In addition to the amazing aerobatics, there are car displays, antique and military aircraft, food vendors, craft vendors, a Kid Zone, and much more.
Mike Buck
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Mike Buck, the director of Parks & Open Space for New Garden Township, together with his family, leading the way at the opening of the Kaolin Trail.
For the past several years, Mike Buck, the director of Parks & Open Space for New Garden Township, has been partnering with township staff, its Board of Directors, volunteers and several agencies to bring forth a sustainable – and green – future for the township. That vision is already underway, with long-term ideas planned for New Garden Hills and the Smedley Preserve, among other projects. Mike recently met with Landenberg Life to discuss the progress that is being made and what’s happening at New Garden Park this spring and summer.
Landenberg Life: Let’s begin with the fact that in terms of land preservation and development, the last few years have been busy for you and New Garden Township. Let’s first talk about New Garden Hills, the former site of Saint Anthony’s in the Hills. The township opened the Kaolin Trail there last year, as part of Phase I of New Garden Hill’s long-term vision. Talk about what first-timers to the trail can expect to enjoy there. Mike Buck: Kaolin Trail highlights the natural elements of New Garden Hills. As you traverse the trail, you’ll find yourself surrounded by mature woodlands, where Tulip Popular, Beech and Maple trees create a serene canopy overhead.
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Photo by Richard L. Gaw
New Garden Township is undergoing long-term plans for New Garden Hills.
Landenberg Life Q&A
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As you progress along the 1.5-mile trail, you’ll find gentle slopes that lead hikers through both an upper terrestrial meadow and lower palustrine shrubland both connected by a large meadow containing a newly installed riparian buffer. Along the way, hikers can catch a glimpse of the Broad Run stream as it flows near the trail and then appreciate all these experiences again as they loop back to the trailhead.
As the design of the Kaolin Trail began to take shape, what natural elements did the planning want to incorporate into the trail?
New Garden Hills is full of nature, and we wanted to incorporate the mature woodlands, meadows and portions of the broad run into the user’s experience. In partnership with Natural Lands Trust, we blazed a path that would connect users with these elements while minimizing disruption to existing plants and wildlife. With streams being a significant natural resource at New Garden Hills, we also decided it was important to feature
the riparian buffer and live stake nurseries. The buffer and nurseries, installed by the Penn State Watershed Stewards program, benefits the stream and also provides a public education opportunity with interpretive signage that highlights both the buffer and the nurseries along the trail.
New Garden Township will again be hosting several events for the whole family this spring and summer. Can you provide a sneak preview of what Landenberg residents can expect to enjoy there this year?
I’m very excited about our 2025 event season! New Garden Park will host a variety of events for the whole family. For this spring/summer, residents and neighbors can look forward to a Health & Wellness Hike, Easter Egg Hunt, Family Fun Nights and our Rhythm and Brews Summer concert series. This fall/winter we’ll have our Smedley Preserve Hike, Halloween Movie Night, Second Annual New Garden Gobbler 5K, Community Day, and Cookies with Santa events.
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Courtesy photo
The township is also developing ideas for the Smedley Preserve, formerly the Loch Nairn Golf Club, which it purchased in January 2023 for use as a 105-acre passive-recreation preserve.
I always direct those who are interested in being a part of these events to our Township Facebook page for updates throughout the year.
Your department has developed partnerships with several groups and organizations, including Friends of New Garden Trails, the township’s Open Space Review Board (OSRB) and the Parks and Recreation Board, as well as several local and regional environmental associations. Collectively, your collaborations are far more than merely building trails and preserving property. Talk about the impact of what you all do on the overall fabric of the township.
The resulting efforts of these partnerships (with public input and approval from the Board of Supervisors) support our mission to provide New Garden residents and visitors with recreational opportunities that advance health and wellness while growing community connections to township parks, trails and open spaces.
To briefly describe how each group works in partnership, the OSRB, Natural Lands Trust identify and preserve open space; the Parks & Recreation Board provides potential
open space uses and programming that connects the community to our parks and open spaces; and Friends of New Garden Trails and park staff maintain the trails, parks and open spaces.
Photo by Stan Lukoff
Riparian buffer trees, planted at New Garden Hills, are part of the township’s dedication to developing and maintaining sustainable growth.
The township also enjoys partnerships with Mighty Writers, Kennett Area Community Service, the Maternal and Child Health Consortium and the Kennett Library, who ensure that programming is equitable and accessible to all residents. I believe that our parks and open spaces are a tangible reflection of the quality of life in New Garden Township, these partnerships enrich that quality of life, and I’m honored to have a guiding hand in the process.
The Smedley Preserve, formerly the Loch Nairn Golf Club, was purchased by the township in January 2023 for use as a 105-acre passive-recreation preserve. In collaborations with environmental groups, the township has developed a master plan for the Preserve. Give the readers of Landenberg Life a brief update on what projects are currently happening over there.
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Parks & Open Space is collaborating with New Garden Township staff, its Board of Supervisors, volunteers, agencies and the general public in developing concepts for New Garden Hills.
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In the summer of 2024, park staff added parking signage and a split rail fence gateway to the temporary parking area off of McCue Road. This past February, park staff either replaced or completely rebuilt all the actively used foot bridges within the preserve, improving safety and accessibility.
On track for this summer, the sediment reduction/stream restoration project could begin as early as May. Through a collaborative effort between New Garden Township, PennDOT and RES - the Smedley Preserve Sediment Reduction MS4 project - aims to reduce sediment pollution within the White Clay watershed, improving water quality and meeting regulatory compliance requirements. In addition to sediment removal and stream restoration, the project will also remove most of the manmade ponds, helping to restore natural habitats for local wildlife, promote biodiversity and support native species.
Tentatively planned for the spring and summer of 2026, pedestrian crossing improvements will be made near the intersection of McCue and Church roads. The project will be funded by a recently awarded $300,000 Department of Community and Economic Development Multimodal Transportation grant and matching Open Space funds. Final engineering designs are in progress and will include sightline improvements, road markings, signage, road widening and traffic calming medians.
Volunteering for your department guarantees fresh air, exercise and the camaraderie of like-minded people who enjoy the outdoors. Describe some of the tasks of a volunteer for Parks & Open Space. How do you put them to work?
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Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Backyard BBQs are just a small slice of the packed calendar of social activities at New Garden Park throughout the year.
Landenberg Life Q&A
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Volunteers for the Parks & Open Space engage in various tasks, including clearing paths, repairing erosion, managing invasive plant species, maintaining trail signage and assisting with parks and recreation event support. Event support could involve setting up the event, welcoming guests, directing patrons to various activities, working a water station, monitoring a gaming area, etc. In addition to the fresh air, exercise and camaraderie, I also make sure volunteers are properly fed and hydrated.
What is your favorite spot in New Garden Township?
My favorite spot in New Garden Township is probably my home. The combination of a having a five-minute walk to the nearest park and the presence of family makes my home my most cherished place in the Township.
You host a dinner party and can invite anyone – living or not, famous or not. Who do you want to see around that table?
My parents and my father-in-law. Both of my parents passed away shortly after I met my wife and before my daughter was born. I never had a chance to meet my wife’s father. I would love for everyone to catch up and get to know each other, talk about past memories and make some new ones.
What food or beverage can always be found in your refrigerator?
The essentials. Pizza and Dogfish Head beer.
To learn more about parks and open space in New Garden Township, visit www.newgarden.org. To become a volunteer for the township’s Parks & Open Space department, email Mike Buck at mbuck@newgarden.org.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@ chestercounty.com.
