Landenberg Life Fall/Winter 2019

Fall/Winter 2019

Landenberg Life

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PHOTO PHOTO ESSAY: ESSAY:

Our Our measured measured steps steps along along the the Preserve Preserve Page Page P age 64 6 64 4

Inside: • Local artist turns over a new leaf • Saving the nucleus of our local history • A volunteering superstar

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Landenberg Life | Fall/Winter 2019 | www.chestercounty.com

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TCHS is a part-time, public career-focused program for high school students in Chester County. TCHS is a supportive community of educators, industry and college partners and students who share common interests. TCHS is where students get to apply the skills they learn in the classroom to real world lbmnZmbhgl Zg] \hgÛ]^gmer pZed ZpZr pbma Z roadmap for their future.

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Fall/Winter 2019

Landenberg Life Table of Contents

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Turning over a new leaf

22

A volunteering superstar

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Art En Plein Air

38

Q & A with Rudy Alfonso

48

Landenberg Pet Resort

58

A guide to area schools

64

Photo essay: Our measured steps along the Preserve

70

Tracing the history of the Pomeroy and Newark Railroad

76

Saving the nucleus of our local history

Landenberg Life | Fall/Winter 2019 | www.chestercounty.com

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Landenberg Life Fall 2019 Letter from the Editor:

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For the third consecutive year, Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve is inviting the public to visit working artists at their canvasses, along the White Clay Creek Preserve, to see the artists at work outside where they can be inspired by the surroundings. This year’s “Art in the Preserve” takes place on Oct. 12. It is one of the wonderful events to enjoy in the area this fall.

Landenberg may be at its best in the fall, and we explore several different facets of the community in this issue of Landenberg Life.

We feature the White Clay Creek Preserve in the photo essay from photographer Jim Coarse.

This issue also includes a profile of local artist Karen O’Lone Hahn, who has turned over a new artistic leaf by transitioning from paintings to works of clay. We also introduce readers to Katelyn Craft, whose giving spirit earned her a nomination in the Young Heroes Awards competition.

One of Landenberg’s quintessential businesses is Landenberg Pet Resort. Clients have relied on Bob Bowe to care for their beloved dogs for nearly three decades. We talk to Bowe about his work and his love for the animals that he cares for.

We also talk to Jack Hill, a local author who has collected facts and anecdotes about the history of the Pomeroy and Newark Railroad.

The subject of the Q & A in this issue is Rudy Alfonso. Landenberg Life caught up to Rudy to talk about Alfonso’s service as a school board member, his impressive career with The Boeing Company, his love of cars, and more.

We also have a story about how the Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve group and several other community groups have come together in the effort to preserve the historic John Evans House.

We hope you enjoy the stories in this issue of Landenberg Life as much as we enjoyed working on them. As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions for stories that we might include in future issues. We are already at work planning the next issue, which will arrive in the spring of 2020.

Sincerely, Randy Lieberman, Publisher randyl@chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553 Steve Hoffman, Editor editor@chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553, ext. 13

Cover design: Tricia Hoadley Cover photo: Jim Coarse www.chestercounty.com | Fall/Winter 2019 | Landenberg Life

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|Landenberg Arts|

All photos by John Chambless

Karen O’Lone-Hahn in her studio, with some ceramics in progress.

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Landenberg Life | Fall/Winter 2019 | www.chestercounty.com

Turning over a new leaf Turning from paintings to clay, Karen O’Lone-Hahn forges ahead

A honey pot embellished with bees.

Cows as angels in one of O’Lone-Hahn’s signature paintings.

By John Chambless Staff Writer

F

or the past decade, Karen O’Lone-Hahn has been “The Cow Lady” in the regional art world.

Her instantly recognizable, candy-colored cows have cavorted across countless paintings, earning the artist acclaim and sales and a reputation for having a lot of fun with her art.

But there was nothing planned about the enigmatic cows. “I was born in Trenton and grew up in Buffalo,” O’Lone-Hahn said recently at her brightly painted studio, behind her home in Landenberg.

“But I got to be done with Buffalo, and I had family over here in New Jersey, so I came down here in Continued on page 12 www.chestercounty.com | Fall/Winter 2019 | Landenberg Life

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Karen O’Lone-Hahn Continued from Page 11

1990, met my husband and married him in 1991. So I’ve been in this area for 20 years now.”

She had grown up admiring the work of Van Gogh, the raw imagery of Rousseau and the iconic paintings of Frida Kahlo, and earnestly tried to emulate their styles. The result – after a few art education classes at Buffalo State College – had turned out to be “primitive,” O’Lone-Hahn said. “So I’ve never taken painting lessons from anybody. I just do my thing.”

She had her first exhibitions in this area in 1997, coached by her husband, a local musician and “my biggest cheerleader,” she said.

“The cows came about because I was pregnant at the time with my daughter,” O’Lone-Hahn recalled. “I felt so big. In my first cow paintings, I was shooting for realism, but the eyes came out looking more human. My imagination just started to take off. I thought, ‘What if these cows were different colors? What if they could do all kinds of crazy things that humans can’t do?’

“All of my work is about stories. But being self-taught, I try to take a serious approach, but I really just don’t have the

K

An elephant-themed sugar bowl and creamer.

skill. So my work comes out kind of quirky and funny.”

The sometimes humorous, sometimes enigmatic goingson in the cow world culminated in a book O’Lone-Hahn wrote and illustrated as “a letter to myself,” she said.

“Unfortunately, there are a lot of adults and art teachers Continued on page 14

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Karen O’Lone-Hahn Continued from Page 12

who tell kids they can’t be an artist or some other thing.

But I wanted to tell kids that, ‘You can do it. Don’t listen to other people.’”

While she was happy painting acrylic cows and other creatures in different situations, her career took an unexpected turn in 2011. “I love my paintings, but I was kind of feeling pigeonholed, she said. “And my daughter, who was 17, was taking painting lessons at Absalom Jones Community Center in Wilmington. So I asked if I could go into the clay studio and mess around with the clay while I was waiting for her. Gosh, it just spoke to me in the biggest way. My daughter was getting ready to leave for college at the time, too, and clay really taught me to let go.”

She started taking classes and workshops, learning from professionals about the intricacies of glazes and how to structure a piece so it did not crack in the kiln. “The thing about clay is you let it go and hope for the best,” she said.

“When I started out, I knew zero about it. But I’ve been doing it since 2011 or 2012, and now I can’t stop. I just love it.”

Continued on page 16

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Landenberg Life | Fall/Winter 2019 | www.chestercounty.com

Karen O’Lone-Hahn Continued from Page 14

On her work table were unpainted clay honey pots with incised surfaces embellished with black slip to make the designs show up.

They will later be painted and fired. There’s a tray with three of the cats that have crept into her style recently, as well as one with elephants.

“Each piece is different, with different designs,” she said. “I don’t make two of exactly the same thing.”

“Of course, clay can break your heart,” she added, taking out a platter with shattered hollow handles that failed during firing. “It’s so much work, but it’s so fun,” she said. “It’s solving problems all the time, and I really like that, too.”

Continued on page 18

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O’Lone-Hahn’s studio is a converted storage shed with her bright painted embellishments.

Landenberg Life | Fall/Winter 2019 | www.chestercounty.com

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Karen O’Lone-Hahn Continued from Page 16

O’Lone-Hahn made her money early on with local outdoor art shows, a time-consuming and strenuous way to sell her work, which is something of a specialized taste. “People just don’t get it. They just don’t understand how hard artists work. I was doing one outdoor show in York, when this guy came by and said, ‘$800? Can you believe it?’” she said, laughing. “And his wife elbows him and says, ‘That’s the artist, you idiot!’

“But I’ve also gotten so many great comments. That’s the aspect of doing shows that I enjoy. I just love the stories people bring to my work. I might have intended one thing with it, and people always bring their own story. I am so humbled when people buy something of mine.”

But the clay is taking over. O’Lone-Hahn’s apron is embroidered with the words, “Still plays in mud.” She tries to work every day, sometimes from 3 to 11 p.m. or later. “I tell people that clay is like having small children. You can’t leave it on its own for too long, or bad things happen.”

With her schedule filling up for the fall and holiday season with several area craft and art shows, O’Lone-Hahn is ready to bring her pottery to a wider audience. The style is much less cartoony than her paintings, with a delicacy that many wouldn’t expect from the artist.

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Landenberg Life | Fall/Winter 2019 | www.chestercounty.com

Many of the new ceramics have O’Lone-Hahn’s bright, cheerful color palette.

And, while her work is unfailingly happy, O’Lone-Hahn shared her home art collection, which includes her earlier paintings. They use black and white primarily, capturing people from her past, such as her mother and her Continued on page 20

Karen O’Lone-Hahn Continued from Page 18

oldest brother, painted from a photo.

“That’s my first painting, from about 1985,” she said.

There are paintings of her sister’s wedding, a first Communion, and other events, but there’s a somber tone to them. One shows the artist surrounded by people from her past, their angry faces pressing in on her.

“There are a lot of personal stories in these,” she said. “There’s more to me than silly cows.”

In another, she shows herself sitting on a sofa, holding hands with Frida Kahlo. “I did this when I had Lyme disease. And she was so ill through her life. So I was feeling the similarities of us being artists and working through pain. Art has saved me throughout my life. It helps me cope in so many ways.”

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The early work has a raw quality that led O’Lone-Hahn to be featured one year at the prestigious Outsider Art Fair in New York City. She has also been exhibited at other outsider and folk art fairs in years past.

But her turn to colorful cows was a turning point, she said. “The goal for my art is to make me happy, and other people happy as well. That’s what it means to be an artist. You’re just forever exploring and trying new things. It’s an honor and a privilege to get to do what I do.”

To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@chestercounty.com.

For more information, and online sales, visit www.karenolonehahn.com.

Upcoming show dates: Stahls Fall Festival of Pottery, Upper Milford, Pa. (Oct. 5, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.); Hagley Craft Fair (Oct. 19 and 20, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.); Christmas Makers Market, Christian Life Center, 125 Saginaw Rd., Lincoln University (Nov. 15, 7 to 9 p.m., Nov. 16, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.).

Landenberg Life | Fall/Winter 2019 | www.chestercounty.com

|Landenberg People|

A volunteering superstar Katelyn Craft’s giving spirit leads to being Young Heroes Awards nominee

By John Chambless Staff Writer

K

All photos courtesy

Katelyn Kraft works with severely disabled children at Exceptional Care For Children in Newark.

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Landenberg Life | Fall/Winter 2019 | www.chestercounty.com

atelyn Craft is a 17-year-old student from Landenberg who is in her senior year at Tower Hill School in Wilmington, Del. She was recently recognized in the National Liberty Museum’s TD Bank Young Heroes Award for her many hours of volunteering, and for inspiring others to do the same. An awards ceremony was held on Aug. 15.

Craft spoke last month about how serving others comes naturally to her, and how she is inspired by the severely disabled children she works with at Exceptional Care for Children in Newark, Del.

Q.: Did your parents or other family members inspire you to volunteer as a young child?

A.: I was raised by my parents to believe that those who are fortunate should assist those who are less fortunate. I am constantly reminded that “from everyone who has been much given, much will be required” (Luke 12:48).

How and when did you select Exceptional Care for Children to work with?

I started volunteering at Exceptional Care for Children during the summer of 2016.

I had been volunteering with children in middle school, where I was a teacher’s assistant during my free periods, which prompted my passion for working with children. My high school has a volunteer requirement, so before high school started I researched various organizations and found ECC. The first time I visited, I fell in love with everything about the place -- the residents and the positive, caring environment created by the nurses, doctors, dietitians, cleaning staff, etc. I never expected ECC to become my favorite place to spend time, resulting in 100-plus hours per year since 2016. That’s a little over 400 hours to date with my young friends.

How much training or preparation did you have before you started working with these children?

I attended an orientation at ECC and then began to spend time in the living rooms with the children, interacting with them during free-play. From there, I started to get more and more involved with play therapy, which is where I spend most of my time now. The children range in age from newborn through about 18 years old.

What sort of activities do you do with them?

It differs per day and per child, but generally with them, I do arts and crafts, read, watch TV, and play with their toys. I do whatever I can to bring a smile to their faces.

Many volunteers, especially at your age, might be intimidated when facing the kind of disabilities these young people have. What satisfaction do you get from volunteering with them?

These patients don’t realize they are “needy,” so I don’t treat them as though they are. I play with the children just like I would with any other children. They may not be able to do the activity the same way a child without a disability does, but they enjoy doing the activity nonetheless. I do get satisfaction, though, whenever I see the residents making progress in their goals, whether they be learning to walk, talk, or breathe on their own, because I know I have at least played a small part in their journey. There is no happier sight than seeing one of the residents graduate Continued on page 24

www.chestercounty.com | Fall/Winter 2019 | Landenberg Life

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Katelyn Craft Continued from Page 23

and go home to live with their families. It makes my day when I walk into the building to see the smiles curl up on their faces when they recognize who I am. And the hugs; they’re the best. Also, while I miss them when they graduate, I love seeing the joy in the children when they get well enough and gain enough skills to be reunited with their families.

Talk a bit about the other activities you’re involved with.

I am a co-Board Chair of our school’s Community Outreach Board, where we encourage Tower Hill’s student body to give back to the communities that have raised us. We are all so fortunate. The main organizations we work with are the Ronald McDonald House, where we go for baking days; and the Saturday Breakfast Club, where we prepare pancakes and sausage to serve to local community members. We also work a lot with the Tower Tots (the pre-K students) and hold various fundraising events.

I also co-lead the Jefferson Awards Club, where we encourage and recognize students for volunteer work in

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Landenberg Life | Fall/Winter 2019 | www.chestercounty.com

the community. One of our main winter events is The Stocking Project, where we encourage our upper school advisories to prepare Christmas stockings for organizations, such as the Boys and Girls Club and Urban Promise. The Jefferson Awards Club is a great way to recognize the students who do amazing things for our community, and I’m happy to say that there are always quite a few students that deserve this recognition.

Do you inspire your friends and fellow students? Do they know they can expect an invitation from you to help volunteer?

My friends and I encourage each other to follow our passions. For some of us, that is community service, and for others it is social justice issues. We all encourage each other as well as other students and friends to get involved in the community and world around us. Even small contributions add up to big, positive changes. I can always count on my friends to sign up to volunteer at the events I am planning through the Community Outreach Board and Jefferson Awards.

Continued on page 26

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Katelyn Craft Continued from Page 24

How did you find out about the TD Bank Young Heroes Award?

Honestly, I had never heard about the TD Bank Young Heroes Award until Mr. Joel Sumner called me to tell me I was one of the 13 students who won the award. My teacher, Dr. Kim Fabbri, had nominated me. It was a pretty amazing surprise!

What was the awards ceremony like?

Sadly, I was unable to attend the awards ceremony in person because my family had a prior commitment, but I was given the opportunity to send in a thank you video. Dr. Fabbri attended on my behalf and told me it was a first class event! Thirteen wonderful students and groups of students throughout the United States were recognized for their volunteering accomplishments, and it’s just great that TD Bank takes the time to give the well-deserved recognition to students for their community involvement.

Continued on page 28

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Landenberg Life | Fall/Winter 2019 | www.chestercounty.com

www.chestercounty.com | Fall/Winter 2019 | Landenberg Life

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Katelyn Craft Continued from Page 26

For you, is volunteering something you would do, even if there were no awards or recognition?

I was extremely honored to receive this award, but I don’t volunteer to get the “shout outs.” I do it because it is my passion. However, it is always great to be recognized for my work at Exceptional Care for Children because that just means more people are informed about a truly amazing place filled with truly amazing people.

People always make time for the activities that are important to them, and that is exactly what I have done with ECC. I never feel that going to ECC is a chore; I always leave ECC in a better mood than when I walk in. These kids inspire me to tackle the challenges in my life (school work, sports training, club leadership) because each one of them displays more courage and faces more adversity on a daily basis than I will in my lifetime. My schedule can be a challenge at times with volunteering, advanced classes, varsity sports, and club responsibilities, but I always find time to go.

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Landenberg Life | Fall/Winter 2019 | www.chestercounty.com

What major would you like to pursue in college? Any idea yet?

Working at ECC, I’ve become more resolute in my desire to become a biomedical engineer, focusing on streamlining the equipment that sometimes seems to encumber the patients’ lives. Ultimately, I’d like to become a pediatric surgeon and perform procedures that will allow me to improve the daily lives of children, not just emotionally but also physically.

Do you see volunteering as a lifelong activity, not just a few times a year?

Yes, I’ve been doing volunteer work through my school and on my own time for about seven years now, and I don’t see that stopping anytime soon. As I look for colleges, I am committed to choosing one that has easy access to a hospital so that I can continue my volunteer work with children in need and begin to do research on streamlining the equipment these children need to survive.

Name one charity or organization you want to support with a plea for public volunteers.

Exceptional Care for Children! Volunteer with your time or provide financial support; anything you do will help. And while I hope this interview encourages others to get more involved with ECC, the most important plea is that people get involved in their communities to help others. There are countless worthwhile organizations that need and welcome help. Just get involved!

www.chestercounty.com | Fall/Winter 2019 | Landenberg Life

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|Landenberg Arts|

Art en plein air

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

Landenberg artist Kathy Ruck will be among the many local artists participating in “Art in the Preserve,� which will be held at the London Tract Meeting House and White Clay Creek Preserve on Oct. 12.

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Landenberg Life | Fall/Winter 2019 | www.chestercounty.com

For the third consecutive year, the Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve is inviting the public to visit working artists at their canvases, along the Preserve. It’s the chance to see the magic of painting happen, among the trees, fields, streams and vistas

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

A

rtistic painting, or at least the creation of that which is ultimately conveyed to a canvas of colors, texture and narrative, is often a solitary pursuit, hammered out mostly in the confines of both space and mind.

For many artists, these are the moments that provide the twin elements of breakthrough and terror, inspiration and self-doubt, and the repeat of the question that every artist worth their weight in paint cans asks in those moments: Is this any good?

For many artists, when the walls of a studio seem to concave and the interior voice becomes too persistent, they feel the need to take their paints and canvases and break free.

For five consecutive hours on October 12, eight Brandywine Valley artists will get to do just that.

The third annual Art in the Preserve, sponsored by the Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve, will invite the public to watch the artists work outdoors along the White Clay Creek Preserve, at locations of their choosing near the London Tract Meeting House.

Continued on page 32 “All Boarded Up” by Betsy Greer. www.chestercounty.com | Fall/Winter 2019 | Landenberg Life

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Art en plein air Continued from Page 31

This year’s participating artists will include: Stephen Burke, Carol Gray, Betsy Greer, Mary Lou Hamilton, Roe Murray, Kathy Ruck, Mayura Simha and Joan Supplee.

“Along these trails, within close proximity to the meeting house, our artists will set up and paint, and the idea of the event is to encourage connection between the guest, the artist, the work and the nature that surrounds everything,” said Shawn McCarren, Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve volunteer and event organizer. “The idea is that visitors can ask participating artists what inspires them, ask them questions about their art, and enjoy the beauty of the location.”

For Hockessin artist Stephen Burke – who will be attending the Art in the Preserve for “The Evans House” by Mary Lou Hamilton.

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Landenberg Life | Fall/Winter 2019 | www.chestercounty.com

the third time – plein air painting has become an artistic calling. Largely on the influence of his wife – fellow artist Anne Marvin – Burke began painting when he was 45, and following studies at the Cape Cod School of Art, he embarked on an artistic journey that has taken he and Marvin to the Canadian Rockies and several national parks around the United States “Plein air painting allows me the chance to paint nature and God’s Continued on page 34

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Art en plein air Continued from Page 33

creation in its truest form,” Burke said. “From this standpoint, I see the color and the light and the shadows and the shapes and the values that make a painting come to life. You can’t truly paint that from photographs.

“At the same time I am painting, I can smell the air, hear the birds, feel the breeze through the trees, and hear the water. It’s an incredible connection with creation that I get to experience.”

For the past three decades, watercolor and pastel artist Kathy Ruck has lived in Landenberg, and during that time, her paintings have served as a continuing document to the natural beauty of the area. Now in her third year at the Art in the Preserve, Ruck feels emotionally and artistically tethered to the Preserve “The Preserve has been a constant inspiration for me as an artist,” she said. “I was recently thinking about how many paintings I’ve done in the Reserve since I became an artist, and by my count, it must be very close to one hundred.”

Continued on page 36

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Landenberg Life | Fall/Winter 2019 | www.chestercounty.com

“Reflections of Autumn” by Kathy Ruck.

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Art en plein air Continued from Page 34

To Ruck, plein air painting is “connecting with nature,” she said. “You find a lot of that in Landenberg. I love that we are given the constant change of four seasons here, and combined with the remnants of what came before us, it lends an added appreciation to my work.”

Speaking with the artists in their domain is only one of the many events planned for Oct. 12. An exhibition and sale of the participating artists’ work will be held in the London Tract Meeting House on the day of the event, and a percentage of proceeds from the sale of their work will be given to the Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve, to help pay for beautification projects, maintenance improvements and educational programs. The event will also include history hikes with Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve volunteers, a family hike and children’s art class and live music by Fishcastle.

Visitors will also be encouraged to visit the Landenberg Store for lunch, or stop by 1723 Vineyards or Paradocx Vineyards, all a short drive from the Preserve.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@ chestercounty.com.

“Joe Allison” by Stephen Burke.

“Fall on Rt. 52”

by Roe Murray.

Art in the Preserve will take place on Oct. 12, near the London Tract Meeting House, 3027 London Tract Road in Landenberg, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The rain date will be Oct. 13.

Parking will be available near the London Tract Meeting House, and admission is free. For updates on the event, visit Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve at their Facebook page.

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|Landenberg Life|

Rudy Alfonso

All photos courtesy

The Kennett students and teachers who worked on the Corvette are pictured in May of 2019 with the 75 Stingray on the lift.

Rudy Alfonso had a busy spring and summer. As a member of the Kennett School Board, and as that school board’s representative of the Chester County Intermediate Unit, he was simultaneously involved in two very important searches for top administrators as the Kennett Consolidated School District conducted a superintendent search and the Intermediate Unit interviewed for its new executive director. The searches illustrate how important and time-consuming the work of school board members can be, even though they are unpaid positions.

Landenberg Life caught up to talk about Alfonso’s service as a school board member, his impressive career with The Boeing Company, his love of cars, and more.

Q: You’ve served on the school board during a time when a lot was accomplished, and it was accomplished in a very business-like fashion. How many years have you served on the school board, and what has the experience been like for you?

A: We are very proud of what the students, educators, and the administration have accomplished. Test scores are up, with students leaving Kennett ready to enter the workforce, go on to vocational /trades or attend top-tier universities around the globe.

Kennett is a unique place, a true representation of the strength of our nation’s diversity. Starting with our kindergarten center and right through to the high school, the educators are the best in the state of Pennsylvania. Our educators pour their hearts and souls into doing everything possible to make our kids responsible citizens at a time when there is constant change and turmoil at every turn.

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As far as running the organization in a very businesslike fashion, while we have a fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers that fund the schools, we have to remember that it’s not always just about dollars and cents. It’s also about taking care of those who keep our buildings safe, clean the buildings, feed our kids and spend endless hours in athletics, art, music to help mature young minds.

There are a lot of people who support kids at times when they need additional support, a listening ear or just want to vent when they are frustrated or dealing with uncomfortable issues they can’t share at home.

My now nearly eight years on the school board have been extremely busy not only representing the New Garden Township constituents, but also representing the best interests of our Kennett students at the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) and the Technical College High School Pennocks Bridge Campus.

The Corvettes at Carlisle USA Flag Display. Rudy Alfonso’s Corvette is the ninth car (from left to right) in the bottom red row. This picture is hanging at the Pennocks Bridge TCHS Auto Body Shop. It is also featured in The Carlisle Events Worldwide publication.

Q: Can you tell us a little about your professional background, and how your professional experiences helped you on the school board?

A: I started my career after graduating from college as a mechanical engineer. I served for five years as a Naval Aviation Maintenance Officer. I was stationed at Naval Air Station Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Florida, where two of my three children were born. The Navy is a great place to develop skills like leadership, organization, trust and to build one’s confidence. During my tenure, I was able to travel throughout the United States for training and to deploy to the Mediterranean, Middle East and Cuba with an Air Anti-Submarine Aviation Squadron on board the USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN69) and USS Independence (CV62). I have worked with people of all backgrounds and faith from all over the globe. For the last 35 years, I have worked at The Boeing Company where my career and professional development rapidly accelerated. I have worked on different defense platforms, ranging from the F/A-18 Hornet, National Missile Defense, and currently as the Project Engineer for the Japanese CH-47 Program. All of these programs are valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars and require unwavering quality, cost, schedule, technology, development and performance management. Also, as part of the Boeing Leadership Development Program, I was the Chief of Staff to the Boeing Ridley Park /Philadelphia Site Vice President and General Manager and later a member of the Being Congressional Relations Team at its Washington D.C. Operations. I also served on the Board of Directors at the Latin American Community Center in Wilmington for 12 years including, three as its president and eight years as a member of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic Affairs for former Delaware Governor Tom Carper, who continues to be a friend to this day and is now a U.S. Senator.

Q: You’re a real car enthusiast. Tell us about your love of automobiles.

A: Yes, I do love cars. My favorite is what is defined as America’s Sports Car, the Corvette. Currently, our garage consists of a 2006 Corvette Coupe, a 2001 Mercedes Benz CLK 430 Convertible, and a 1975 Corvette Stingray Convertible. In the past, I have owned a 1971 Cutlass Supreme, a 1974 MGB, 1984 and 1985 Nissan 300ZX. Two other cars that I have owned are a 1967 VW Beetle and a 1978 VW Beetle Convertible. My everyday driver is a white 2016 VW Passat.

I try to drive the 1975 Corvette Stingray Convertible as much as possible during the summer. Car shows are a must every year, including one at the CCIU Pickering Campus in April, Corvette’s at Carlisle in August, and the annual Toys for Tots Charity drive in October to Kerbeck Corvette in Atlantic City. This year, the new Mid-Engine Corvette C8 was unveiled at 11:30 p.m. on July 18, so stayed up to see the unveiling of the beauty as the event was held in California and was streamed live by Chevrolet around the globe. The love is really about the evolution of the technology, design and performance, plus the challenge of tinkering and getting my hands dirty.

Continued on page 40

Rudy Alfonso in the 2006 C6 with his eldest daughter, Chelsea Alfonso-Jones

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Rudy Alfonso Continued from Page 39

Q: You’re also a big proponent of the Technical College High School and the work that students are doing there. You have some of the automotive students work on your cars, right?

A: The students rarely get a chance to work on antique or exotic cars. That is why I have them work on both the body, paint and engine of the Corvette. They have also worked on the Mercedes Benz CLK Convertible, doing brakes, tires, the water pump, electric windows, This allows the instructors, John Dowling, Dan McCabe, Jesus Garcia and Jenny Wasserman, to expand their syllabus and teach the students the differences with troubleshooting and doing repairs on old and new technology.

Q: What is your favorite spot in southern Chester County?

A: Old Havana Cigars in West Chester. A great place to relax, enjoy a stick and watch the Eagles.

Q: What three dinner guests, living or dead, would you invite to dine with you?

A: With a master’s degree in history, my choices would be: Socrates, Thomas Jefferson, and Jose Marti.

Q: What food is always in your refrigerator?

A: Hummus and gluten-free Pita Bread for snacks, blueberries, soy yogurt and soy milk for smoothies.

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Kennett students doing auto body work on the 1975 Stingray Convertible C3.

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|In the Spotlight|

Photo by Steven Hoffman

Bob Bowe with Pax, a great dog who was abandoned one year ago because his family couldn’t afford to keep him.

He’s a pit bull mix that is three years old and neutered. “I love him, he’s a very good dog,” Bowe said, explaining that he hopes he can find a permanent home for the dog.

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Landenberg Pet Resort: Setting a standard for high-quality care and comfort for dogs

Courtesy photo

The clean and spacious Landenberg Pet Resort offers a comfortable environment for the animals.

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer

T

he way Betsy Bruhn sees it, if her family couldn’t take their beloved dogs, Maddie and MeMe, to the Landenberg Pet Resort, they might just skip their vacation entirely.

Like a lot of people, the Bruhn family loves their dogs—two beagles— and they need a place where their pets will be cared for in a safe, comfortable environment whenever they go away and can’t take their pets with them. The family wouldn’t be able to enjoy themselves if “Mr. Bob” wasn’t the one seeing to the care and comfort of the dogs.

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Landenberg Pet Resort Continued from Page 49

As Bruhn and hundreds, if not thousands, of people will attest, there isn’t a better place for dogs to stay when their families are away than the Landenberg Pet Resort on Penn Green Road.

Bob Bowe has been running the business for 27 years, and there is something of a golden rule for the quality of the care that Landenberg Pet Resort provides its four-legged clientele in the clean, spacious facility situated a short distance behind the Landenberg Post Office.

“If we were away,” Bob asked rhetorically, “how do we want our dogs taken care of?”

That’s the rule at Landenberg Pet Resort: Here, the dogs are cared for in the same manner that the Bowe family cares for their own dogs, Memphis, Amelia, and Yeager.

As a result of this rule, the dogs love the Landenberg Pet Resort. And their owners love Landenberg Pet Resort even more.

According to Bruhn, Bowe provides an invaluable service for any pet owner.

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“We’ve used Bob for more than ten years,” she explained. “We call him ‘Mr. Bob.’ The first dog that we took to Landenberg Pet Resort was Belle, and she just loved going there. Whenever we said, ‘Mister Bob’ she would just get so excited. She loved going there and seeing Bob. And he really cares about all the dogs that he gets to know.”

When Belle passed away, Bruhn explained, Bob Bowe was Continued on page 52

Courtesy photo

The dogs have the use of 41 runs at Landenberg Pet Resort. Dogs who live in the same household can use the same run, if that’s the owner’s preference.

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Landenberg Pet Resort Continued from Page 50

heartbroken over the news—that’s how genuine the attachment is between Bob and the pets that he cares for. So when the Bruhns welcomed Maddie and MeMe to the family, there was no doubt that they would be staying at the Landenberg Pet Resort when the family was away from home.

“They are just as excited when we take them to the Landenberg Pet Resort as Belle was,” Bruhn explained. “It gives us a great sense of security to know that the person running the kennel cares so much about my animals.” *** Bob Bowe’s work day begins at shortly after 7 a.m. each morning and it doesn’t end until 9:30 at night. He doesn’t mind because, each time he arrives, he is greeted by wagging tails and barks of glee. It’s a great way to start a day and a great way to end the day.

“The greeting that I get in the morning is incredible,” he explained with a laugh.

While Bob loves animals, he did not set out to operate a pet resort.

In 1992, he and his wife Karen helped a friend start a kennel in nearby Hockessin, Delaware.

Photo by Steven Hoffman

Bob Bowe with Toby, one of the pets who was recently spending some time at the Landenberg Pet Resort.

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At the time, Bowe was working in banking. When the friend needed to move out of the area, the Bowes decided that they would take over the business.

Karen works in the nursing field, so Bob was able to dedicate himself to the new venture.

“I had a great boss at the bank, and I was told that I had a job waiting for me,” Bob recalled. After about six weeks of running a kennel, and being surrounded by the lovable dogs, Bob went back to his employer and informed them that he wouldn’t be coming back.

He admitted that running a pet resort wasn’t something that he thought he would be doing. “But we realized how much fun it is to be around dogs.”

As pet owners themselves, the Bowes already understood the concern that a family would feel any time they left beloved members of the family in the care of someone else.

“It’s so hard to board your dog in the first place,” Bob explained. “It’s always tough to see the firsttime boarders leaving their dog for the first time.

There have been plenty of hugs and tears in the parking lot.”

It’s a scene that has played out time and time again.

Of course, while saying goodbye is difficult for the pet owners, the reunions a week or two weeks later are heartwarming. Even though Bob loves caring for the pets, it’s always great to see the dogs reunited with their families.

“The smiles on their faces are unbelievable,” Bob explained.

The Bowe family opened the Landenberg Pet Resort on Penn Green Road in 2003. It is situated in a quiet and pleasant country setting behind the Landenberg Post Office, and near the family’s home.

Having his home close to the kennel allows Bob to keep a close eye on the pets. As Bruhn explained, “the kennel is so close to his home that, if there is ever a problem, Bob is right there.”

So while the typical work day begins shortly after 7 in the morning and doesn’t end until after 9 at night, Bowe is always on call if the dogs needs him.

“We’re down here in thunderstorms, during the Fourth of July, and on New Year’s Eve,” Bob said, referring to the noisy times that are known to be unsettling for dogs.

The Landenberg Pet Resort is very much a family Continued on page 54

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Landenberg Pet Resort Continued from Page 53

business, and through the years numerous members of the Bowe family have become involved in caring for the furry friends staying at the resort. This includes the family’s three children—23-year-old Casey, 20-year-old Madison, and 17-year-old Aidan.

“What a help they have been in the family business,” Bob explained. “I have relied on my wife and family members tremendously.”

He added that some extended family members have helped out, too. Bob has also hired a few youngsters in the community to help out—but only those people that he personally knows can be entrusted with taking care of the dogs.

“I need to know who is dealing with my animals and my customers,” he explained.

Dogs of any breed and age are welcomed at Landenberg Pet Resort. There are 41 runs at the facility, and each one is five-foot-by-eighteen-foot, and designed for the maximum comfort for the dogs. Pets that live in the same household can share a run if that’s the preference, so there can be 40 or more pets at the Landenberg Pet Resort at the same time

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during the busiest times in the summer when many families in the area are on vacation.

The arrival of a visitor can get the dogs excited, but typically the resort offers a mellow environment for the pets.

“When there’s nobody here, it’s amazing how quiet it is,” Bob explained.

In addition to boarding, the Landenberg Pet Resort provides the basic grooming services, too.

The policy at Landenberg Pet Resort is to make the clients, and their pets, happy, no matter what. Bob explained that they primarily feed the dogs Pedigree or Alpo, and families can also bring their own food if they want to. It’s important to keep the pets on their regular diets.

The Landenberg Pet Resort even has after-hours pickup for families that are eager to be reunited with their pets after a vacation.

“I always tell people, if it’s a reasonable time, just give me a call,” Bob explained.

All of these services and care are provided at an affordable rate. Pet owners care much more about ensuring that their Continued on page 56

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Landenberg Pet Resort Continued from Page 54

beloved pets will receive the proper treatment than they care about the cost of that care, but Landenberg Pet Resort has long prided itself on affordability. The current rate for a dog to stay at the resort is $27 for a day.

“I want it to be cost-effective for anyone who wants to go away,” Bob explained.

Most of Landenberg Pet Resort’s clients live in Landenberg, Kennett Square, Avondale, or Hockessin. Some of the clients keep bringing their pets to Landenberg Pet Resort, even if they move a little further away, because of the quality of care. Having someone reliable to lovingly care for a pet is a real blessing.

Bob said that he loves being based in Landenberg. It’s a great place to be involved in a business that caters to pets because so many people in the area love their animals.

There’s also an abundance of good veterinarians in the area.

Giving back to the community is important to the Bowe family. Bob is a member of the New Garden Township Planning Commission. They also offer $500 scholarships to local students, and they have also contributed Amazon gift

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cards to local schools.

Of course, the best gift that he can give to the community is to continue to operate a pet resort that really sets the standard for high-quality pet care.

Bob explained that he always considered it a great responsibility and a privilege when someone would place a beloved pet in his care.

His clients are very grateful.

“He is just so reliable,” Bruhn said. “I wouldn’t leave my dogs anywhere else.”

For more information about the Landenberg Pet Resort, visit the website or Facebook page.

To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.

Landenberg United Methodist Church

THE BIG FALL

JUST HALVES CHICKEN BBQ &

COMMUNITY YARD SALE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2019 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. CHICKEN PRICE: $6.00/half CHICKEN Tickets sold at the door or pre-purchase your tickets by calling Landenberg Church: 610-274-8384 or Lydia Akerman: 610-274-8335 LOCATION OF CHURCH: at the intersection of Penn Green Road and Landenberg Road, across the street from the Landenberg Store.

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DELAWARE PRIVATE SCHOOLS Archmere Academy 3600 Philadelphia Pike, Claymont, 798-6632, archmereacademy.com Caravel Academy 2801 Del Laws Road, Bear, 834-8938, caravel.org Centreville Layton School 6201 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, 571-0230, centrevillelayton.org Hockessin Montessori 1000 Old Lancaster Pike, Hockessin, 234-1240, thehms.org Independence School 1300 Paper Mill Rd., Newark, 239-0332, theindependenceschool.org The New School 812 Elkton Road, Newark, 456-9838, thenewschool.com Red Lion Christian Academy 1390 Red Lion Road, Bear, 834-2526, redlionca.org Salesianum School 1801 N. Broom St., Wilmington, 654-2495, salesianum.org Sanford School 6900 Lancaster Pike, Hockessin, 239-5263, sanfordschool.org

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St. Andrew’s School 350 Noxontown Road, Middletown, 378-9511, standrews-de.org The Tatnall School 1501 Barley Mill Road, Wilmington, 998-2292, tatnall.org Tower Hill School 2813 W. 17th St., Wilmington, 575-0550, towerhill.org Ursuline Academy 1106 Pennsylvania Ave., Wilmington, 658-7158, ursuline.org Wilmington Christian School 825 Loveville Road, Hockessin, 239-2121, wilmingtonchristian.org Wilmington Friends School 101 School Road, Wilmington, 576-2900, wilmingtonfriends.org

DIOCESE OF WILMINGTON Padua Academy 905 N. Broom St., Wilmington, 421-3739, paduaacademy.org St. Elizabeth High School 1500 Cedar St., Wilmington, 656-3369, sehs.org St. Mark’s High School 2501 Pike Creek Road, Wilmington, 738-3300, stmarkshs.net

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES Delaware College of Art and Design 600 N. Market St., Wilmington, 622-8000, dcad.edu Delaware State University 3931 Kirkwood Hwy., Wilmington, 254-5340, desu.edu Delaware Technical Community College 400 Stanton-Christiana Road, Newark, 454-3900; 333 Shipley St., Wilmington, 571-5300, dtcc.edu Goldey-Beacom College 4701 Limestone Road, Wilmington, 998-8814, gbc.edu Springfield College 1007 Orange St., Wilmington, 658-5720, springfieldcollege.edu University of Delaware Main Campus in Newark; Wilmington Campus, 831-2792, udel.edu Widener University School of Law 4601 Concord Pike, Wilmington, 477-2100, law.widener.edu Wilmington University 320 Dupont Hwy., New Castle, 356-4636; 31 Reads Way, New Castle, 655-5400; 651 N. Broad St., Middletown, 877-967-5464;

PENNSYLVANIA HIGH SCHOOLS Avon Grove School District 375 South Jennersville Road West Grove, PA 19390 610-869-2441

Avon Grove High School (610-869-2446) 257 East State Road, West Grove, PA 19390 Fred S. Engle Middle School (610-869-3022) 107 Schoolhouse Road, West Grove, PA 19390 Avon Grove Intermediate School (610-869-2010) 395 South Jennersville Road, West Grove, PA 19390 Penn London Elementary School (610-869-9803) 383 South Jennersville Road, West Grove, PA 19390

Kennett Consolidated School District 300 East South Street Kennett Square, PA 19348 610-444-6600

Kennett High School (610-444-6620) 100 East South Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348 Kennett Middle School (610-268-5800) 195 Sunny Dell Road, Landenberg, PA 19350 Continued on page 60

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Oxford Area School District 125 Bell Tower Lane Oxford, PA 19363 610-932-6600

Oxford Area High School (610-932-6640) 705 Waterway Road, Oxford, PA 19363 Penn’s Grove Middle School (610-932-6615) 301 South Fifth Street, Oxford, PA 19363 Hopewell Elementary School (484-365-6151) 602 Garfield Street, Oxford, PA 19363 Elk Ridge School (610-932-6670) 200 Wickersham Road, Oxford, PA 19363

Continued from Page 59

Bancroft Elementary School (610-925-5711) 181 Bancroft Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348

Jordan Bank School (610-932-6625) 536 Hodgson Street, Oxford, PA 19363

Greenwood Elementary School (610-388-5990) 420 Greenwood Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348

Nottingham School (610-932-6632) 736 Garfield Street, Oxford, PA 19363

Mary D. Lang Kindergarten Center (610-444-6260) 409 Center Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348

Unionville-Chadds Ford School District

New Garden Elementary School (610-268-6900) 265 New Garden Road, Toughkenamon, PA 19374

740 Unionville Road Kennett Square, PA 19348 610-347-0970

Unionville High School (610-347-1600) 750 Unionville Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348

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Charles F. Patton Middle School (610-347-2000) 760 Unionville Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348 Chadds Ford Elementary School (610-388-1112) 3 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, PA 19317 Hillendale Elementary School (610-388-1439) 1850 Hillendale Road, Chadds Ford, PA 19317 Pocopson Elementary School (610-793-9241) 1105 Pocopson Road, West Chester, PA 19382 Unionville Elementary School (610-347-1700) 1775 West Doe Run Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348

Chester County Intermediate Unit

Educational Service Center 455 Boot Road, Downingtown, PA 19335 Telephone: (484) 237-5000 Chester County Technical College High School Brandywine Campus 484-593-5100, 443 Boot Road, Downingtown, PA 19335 www.tchsbrandywine.org Chester County Technical College High School Pennock’s Bridge Campus 610-345-1800 280 Pennock’s Bridge Road, West Grove, PA 19390 www.tchspennocks.org Chester County Technical College High School Pickering Campus 610-933-8877 1580 Charlestown Road, Phoenixville, PA 19460-2371 www.tchspickering.org

NON-PUBLIC SCHOOLS Assumption B.V.M. School (610-869-9576) 290 State Road, West Grove, PA 19390 Bethany Christian School (610-998-0877) 1137 Shadyside Road, Oxford, PA 19363 CFS, The School at Church Farm (610-363-7500) 1001 East Lincoln Highway, Exton, PA 19341-2818 Episcopal Day School (610-644-6181) Church of the Good Samaritan 212 West Lancaster Avenue, Paoli, PA 19301 www.goodsamdayschool.org Kimberton Waldorf School (610-933-3635) 410 W. Seven Stars Rd., P. O. Box 350, Kimberton, PA 19442 Landenberg Christian Academy (610-255-5512) P.O. Box 397, Kemblesville, PA 19347 www.lca-pa.com Continued on page 62

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West Chester Christian School (610-692-3700) 1237 Paoli Pike, West Chester, PA 19380 West Chester Friends School (610-696-2962) 415 North High Street, West Chester, PA 19380 Westtown School (610-399-0123) 975 Westtown Road, West Chester, PA 19382

Continued from Page 61

London Grove Friends Kindergarten (610-268-8466) 500 West Street Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348 Malvern Preparatory School (484-595-1131) 418 South Warren Avenue, Malvern, PA 19355 Sacred Heart School (610-932-3633) 205 Church Road, Oxford, PA 19363 Upland Country Day School (610-444-3035) 420 West Street Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348 Villa Maria Academy Lower School (610-644-4864) 1140 King Road, Immaculata, PA 19345-0600

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White Clay Learning Center (610-880-0114) 250 New Garden Road, Toughkenamon, PA 19374 whiteclaylearning.org

CHESTER COUNTY CHARTER SCHOOLS Avon Grove Charter School (Early Learning Center) (610-255-5325) 1769 New London Road, Landenberg, PA 19350 www.agcharter.org Avon Grove Charter School (West Grove Campus) (484-667-5000) 110 East State Road, West Grove, PA 19390 www.agcharter.org

AREA COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES Cheyney University of PA (610-399-2220) 1837 University Circle, P. O. Box 200, Cheyney, PA 19319-0200 Delaware County Community College (Marple Campus) (610-359-5000) 901 South Media Line Road, Media, PA 19063-1094 Delaware County Community College (Brandywine Campus) (610-723-1100) 455 Boot Road, Downingtown, PA 19335 Delaware County Community College (Brandywine Campus) (610-723-1100) 455 Boot Road, Downingtown, PA 19335

The Lincoln University (484-365-8000) 1570 Baltimore Pike, Lincoln University, PA 19352 Neumann University (610-459-0905) 1 Neumann Dr., Aston, Pa., www.neumann.edu Penn State Great Valley (610-648-3200) (School of Graduate Professional Studies) 30 East Swedesford Road, Malvern, PA 19355 Valley Forge Christian College (610-935-0450) 1401 Charlestown Road, Phoenixville, PA 19460 West Chester University of Pennsylvania (610-436-1000) University and High Streets, West Chester, PA 19383

Delaware County Community College (Exton Campus) (610-450-6500) 912 Springdale Drive, Exton, PA 19341 Delaware County Community College (Pennock’s Bridge Campus) (610-869-5100) 280 Pennock’s Bridge Road, West Grove, PA 19390 Immaculata University (610-647-4400) 1145 King Road, Immaculata, PA 19345

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|Landenberg Life Photo Essay|

Our measured steps alon Text by Richard L. Gaw There is a very strong likelihood that the photographs you will see in this photo essay by photographer Jim Coarse are places you have already been to in the White Clay Creek Preserve. Yet, for as many times as Landenberg residents have traversed these trails – whether with friends or family or on private journeys into the quiet – every visit reveals something never seen before.

We gave Jim Coarse a 1,255-acre canvas of trails and fields and streams on which to train his camera along these very familiar trails that have been measured by our steps. We asked him to uncover new revelations, and what we discovered when we saw his photographs is the affirmation that there is beauty in sameness, and tranquility in the familiar.

Continued on Page 66

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ong the Preserve

Photos by Jim Coarse www.chestercounty.com | Fall/Winter 2019 | Landenberg Life

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Our measured steps along the Preserve Continued from Page 64

Because White Clay Creek possesses outstanding scenic, wildlife, recreational, and cultural value, it has been designated by Congress as a National Wild and Scenic River location, and is the only state park in Pennsylvania designated as a preserve.

The White Clay Creek Valley, which forms the core of the White Clay Creek Preserve, varies from steep to gradually falling terrain with some flat bottom lands, all drained by the creek.

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The Preserve was donated by the DuPont Company in 1984 for the purpose of “preserving the diverse and unique plant and animal species, and the rich cultural heritage of the area.� DuPont also donated an additional 528 acres for the adjoining White Clay Creek State Park to the state of Delaware.

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Our measured steps along the Preserve Continued from Page 67

White Clay Creek Preserve borders the Mason–Dixon line and Twelve-Mile Circle at the Pennsylvania border with Delaware and Maryland. The line was established to end a protracted boundary dispute between the British colonies of Maryland and Pennsylvania, in 1750.

The Preserve is open to whitetailed deer hunting, and the east and middles branches of the White Clay Creek are open to fishing, including trout fishing. Trout are stocked in the creek, with assistance from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Continued on page 68

The land on which White Clay Creek Preserve is located was originally sold to William Penn

by Lenape Chief Kekelappen in 1683. It has been reported that Chief Kekelappen may have lived in Opasiskunk, an Indian town that was positioned at the confluence of the east and middle branches of White Clay Creek.

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Continued on page 69

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|Landenberg History|

Tracing the h Pomeroy and Ne

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history of the Newark Railroad Photo by John Chambless

Telford ‘Jack’ Hill enjoyed putting together all the available scraps of information about a long-vanished rail line for his new book.

Facts and anecdotes assembled by local author

By John Chambless Staff Writer

W

hile he was out, driving around southern Chester County, Telford “Jack” Hill would notice traces of a long-ago railroad. As a longtime history buff and rail enthusiast, he spotted a deep rock cut on Penn Green Road above Landenberg. There were huge stone abutments on Landenberg Road that used to carry something. Putting the clues together, Hill knew there had once been a railroad running through the area.

Hill, 82, has just finished putting together a book with all the information he could find on a little-known rail line that once linked Delaware and Chester County, called the Pomeroy and Newark Railroad. Subtitled “The Railroad That Never Should Have Been Built,” the 117-page paperback is available through Amazon.

The rail line was about 39 miles long when it opened in 1872, built during a time of national optimism and expansion following the chaos of the Civil War. With roads still unpaved, anything larger than a wagon load needed to be shipped by rail, and Pennsylvania was brimming with lumber and coal and oil to fuel the expansion of the nation. To move it, trains became indispensable, and speculation was rampant. “It was a get-richquick scheme of the day,” Hill said of railroad construction.

Continued on page 72

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Author Jack Hill Continued from Page 71

The founders of the Pomeroy and Newark gambled that there was a need for goods to be moved from the port at Delaware City up to Pomeroy, near Parkesburg.

“Over the 39 miles, they had to build 65 bridges” to carry the rails, Hill said, “and they had to re-channel the White Clay Creek at one point.”

In researching the scattered news items and records about the railroad, Hill said he grew to appreciate the optimism of the builders who doggedly kept the line running for 67 years.

One notable casualty along the way was Martin Landenberger, a successful German businessman who operated two woolen mills in what would become Landenberg, which was also serviced by the Wilmington & Western Railroad. The wealthy Landenberger is estimated to have contributed half a million dollars to fund the rail line, becoming a director of the railroad, but took a huge loss when business flagged, the railroad defaulted on its loans, and he never recovered.

At some time, the rail line became known locally as The Pommie Doodle, suggesting both the affection that local

T L

communities had for it, and the somewhat do-it-yourself nature of the operation. “People thought of it as their railroad,” Hill said. “It almost maintained its own identity the whole time.”

Since there wasn’t much other news in the tiny communities the line went through, its opening was well documented, with breathless predictions of its future success. In the June 26, 1872 issue of The Oxford Press, it was reported that, “The road is reported built of the best material and gives general satisfaction. The interest created along the route by the inhabitants to see the freight train pass over it was very great.”

Accidents were frequent, although apparently no one died in any of them, Hill said. Typical of the incidents was this one from 1876, duly reported in the local press when the train “ran into a wagon that was crossing the railroad. The cow catcher hooked into the hind wheel of the wagon and tore it off, making quite a wreck of it, and throwing the driver and mule team over an embankment into the meadow below. Strange to say, the team was not Continued on page 74

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Author Jack Hill Continued from Page 72

much damaged, and the teamster uninjured. The result is that the wagon has gone into the repair shop and the mules are taking a brief rest.”

Fires were another problem, since the locomotive shot sparks which landed in the woods and fields. There is one documented anecdote when the engine went off the tracks and the determined crew borrowed fence posts from a nearby farm to raise it up and put it back on its way.

After its first eight years, the Pomeroy and Newark Railroad (it had several names through the years) was controlled by the Pennsylvania Railroad. While records are not available, Hill said, “It’s safe to say that the line never made any money,” or at least very little.

But they kept trying. There was passenger and freight service from Pomeroy to Delaware City until 1879, then between Pomeroy and Newark. The rail bed in Newark has been turned into a trail that bears the railroad’s name.

By 1910 or so, the line had to be reinforced, and the bridges strengthened, to accommodate larger, more powerful engines. But by that time, roads were beginning to

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be paved everywhere, and it was easier to travel and move goods by roadway.

Passenger service was never very robust, and was discontinued in 1928. Sections of the line began to be abandoned, along with the small stations along the line, and the final abandonments occurred in the late 1960s.

But the stories remained. “I’d go and talk to people about what they remembered, and they’d tell me there used to be 15 trains a day through Landenberg,” Hill said. “One young guy remembered loading hay onto the train in Chatham. It was a lot of little bits I put together.”

Hill started his writing and research in 2012, then realized he had enough information for a book that he formally pursued beginning in 2015. The result was made available this month through Amazon.

“For me, the story of the railroad is about the optimism of the times,” Hill said. “People saw the potential of the country. There was an expansion mentality that led to railroads being put in.” And there was plenty of financial and political negotiation over the placement of stations, and the route the train could take. Land for the line was purchased

from one property owner at a time, sometimes requiring alterations in the route.

The book is packed with short news clippings, photos and reminiscences about events large and small along the line.

Hill laughed and said “I’m not going to retire” on any profits from the book, but for him, it’s satisfying to have all the anecdotes and information in one place. “It’s like when I used to come home from school in the old days and have lunch at my grandmother’s table,” Hill said. “She ran a kind of a boarding house, and people would sit and talk and trade stories.”

Everyone who shared stories of the Pomeroy and Newark Railroad with him is thrilled to have made a contribution, he said. “What it does is authenticate their tales,” he said, smiling. “The idea is to capture history. It’s important, because we’re losing a lot of our history.”

To order “The Pomeroy and Newark Railroad: The Railroad That Should Never Have Been Built,” visit www. amazon.com.

To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@chestercounty.com.

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|Landenberg History|

Sa ‘th of his

All photos by Richard L. Gaw

Members of the White Clay Creek Preserve are partnering with other local groups in the formation of a commission to preserve and protect the historic John Evans House in Landenberg. Pictured from left to right are Scotty Crowder, David Hawk, Jim Martin, Susan Moon, Martin Wells and John Starzmann.

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Over the past several months, Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve and other groups have galvanized together in an effort to preserve the historic John Evans House

Saving the nucleus’ f our local history

“The people have a right to clean air, pure water and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania’s public natural resources are the common property of all of the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all of the people.”

The Pennsylvania Constitution, Article I, Section 27

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

I

n the fashion of the many who now surround it with empathy, care and vision for its survival, the story of the John Evans House in the White Cay Creek Preserve deserves an introduction, a proper embrace, so this article begins in the early 1700s, when a Welsh Baptist named John Evans sought a new life in the New World that would soon be called America, in order to escape religious persecution.

Continued on page 78

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John Evans House Continued from Page 77

With his brother beside him, Welsh sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, ventured to the Colony of Pennsylvania, and bought 400 acres of land owned by William Penn, who had originally purchased the land from Lenni Lenapes in 1683.

After a brief return to Wales, the Evans brothers returned to America on a ship filled with their families and essential supplies, and in 1715, they arrived at the point of their purchase: a quiet valley met by the confluence of the east and Middle branches of the White Clay Creek. It was there that Evans constructed a simple, two-story home in the style of Georgian architecture, and slowly, both his home and the beginnings of a young republic grew up around him.

Later in the 18th century, the house added a center section dining room and fireplace made of granite fieldstone,

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three additional bedrooms upstairs, and a story-and-a-half kitchen that had its own fireplace.

The Evans’ family mark on the history of Landenberg was apparent from the time the family first settled there. John Evans was instrumental in the construction of the nearby London Tract Meeting House (c. 1729) and he also owned and operated a mill in the area. Evans’ grandson, also named John, served on the Pa. State Supreme Court during the Revolutionary War. When the younger Evans died, he left the property to his brother Evan, who served as a county militia commander during the 1777 Battle of the Brandywine.

Over the course of the next two centuries, the Evans House served as the home to a succession of owners, and survived not only harsh winters but efforts then made by

the DuPont Company to dam the White Clay and flood the entire valley – including historical structures like the Evans House – in order to service water from a massive reservoir to a textile plant the chemical giant wanted to build nearby.

Vehement opposition to the proposed dam was led by a cavalry of environmentalists and historians, and in 1982, Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter and then Delaware Senator Joe Biden sponsored legislation that led to the formation of the White Clay Creek Preserve, legislation that protected 1,255 acres in Pennsylvania and another 3,300 acres in Delaware.

While the Evans House survived the proposed onslaught of a corporate giant, it could not survive the slow decay of neglect, nor the act of arson. Purchased by the Pennsylvania Continued on page 80

Despite damage from a 2017 fire, the 300-year-old structure still shows the original brick, stone and mortar that went into its original making.

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John Evans House Continued from Page 79

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), the home was severely damaged by a fire on Sept. 20, 2017 that gutted its interior and burned most of its exterior fully to the ground.

For the past two years, a structure that is reportedly the oldest house in the area now sits forlornly on Sharpless Road along the White Clay Creek Preserve trail route, a red brick-and-mortar shell of its former self. The remnants of the fire form piles of ashen neglect at its foundation, and fertile and green growth sprout from its foundation.

In May of this year, the DCNR sent word that it was in the beginning stages of plans that would eventually demolish the structure, and permanently wipe it off the face of local history. As fortune would have it, however, these plans have run head-long into the efforts of several guardians of local history, who are engaging in an all-in campaign to preserve this crumbling edifice and add new chapters to its 300-year-old life.

“The house figures prominently in the migration patterns of the area, specifically the Welsh Baptist community that migrated here prior to 1700,” said Susan Moon of LTHC. “John Evans was one of the first people to acquire land in this area -- an important piece of the London Tract, which is at the confluence of both branches of the White Clay Creek, at a bend in the creek which was advantageous for mill development.

“We believe that there is a position of strength here that the Evans family helped create. They helped build a lot of lasting structures that we still see today. As more experts come in, we will be able to add to the story.”

The origins that initiated efforts to save the historic home date back to 2009, when

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DCNR first announced that they had placed the John Evans House on its demolition list. Soon after the start of the Friends of the White Clay Creek in 2012, several of its members conducted a tour of the house with DCNR representatives, appealing to the DCNR to support the group’s initiative to save it.

The DCNR did not budge. It’s a matter of financial priorities on behalf of the Commonwealth, said LTHC member Jim Martin.

“The standard response in the letters we have received from the DCNR was that they have thousands of buildings across the tens of thousands of acres that they have in our parks, and that they can’t take the time to maintain them,” he said. “Dinniman’s office has informed us that in the past ten years, there has been severe realignment in the Pennsylvania budget, and a lot of what has been dedicated to pay for that realignment came out of DCNR’s funds, and has yet to be replaced.”

This May, local resident John Starzmann invited Karen Marshall, the Heritage Preservation Coordinator of the Chester County Planning Commission, to meet with the group to discuss ways to keep the John Evans House from meeting the wrecker’s ball, and potentially combine forces with other environmental and historical agencies.

“Karen suggested that we form a committee, and Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve London Tract Historical Committee [LTHC] was formed right then and there,” Moon said. “Since then, she has been providing technical assistance, and it’s been amazing to have her with us. She has been very positive and keeps us on track.”

Soon, a local Who’s Who of environmental and historical agencies joined with the

The Evans House was originally built in 1715.

Continued on page 82

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John Evans House Continued from Page 81

LTHC: the New Garden Township Historical Commission, the White Clay Watershed Association, the White Clay Creek Wild and Scenic River Program, London Britain Township and Chester County Planning Commission.

On May 29, Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve sent a letter to State Sen. Andrew Dinniman, encouraging his 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.

“The Historical Committee envisions the future of the John Evans House as a fully documented and stabilized ruin, with interpretive panels that will allow current and future generations to continue to enjoy and to interpret the significance of this structure and its place in migration patterns and industry of the time,” the letter read. “It is the Historical Committee’s aim to secure the site with fencing and security cameras as soon as possible, and begin the process of serious study of the history, architecture and archaeology” of the house.

On June 10, Sen. Dinniman wrote a letter to The Hon. Cindy Adams Dunn at the DCNR, expressing his concern about the agency’s demolition plans, and requesting a site

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visit meeting with DCNR officials and members of the LTHC and elected officials.

“Since it has become known that the Department 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.”

Soon after it received Dinniman’s letter, the DCNR made it known that it had removed the John Evans House from its demolition list, until after it conducts a site visit of the property and working session with Dinniman, members of the LTHC and other concerned groups. The site visit will occur this fall.

“I’m of the opinion that if you have an historic structure and it shows that some people really care about it and are doing all they can to conserve it, then not too many people will bother it,” said Scotty Crowder, chairman of Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve. “But if you have structure that is being neglected, it’s an invitation to throw a rock at

it, or steal a piece of wood off of it. We all agreed that we had to do something.”

“We want to ask the DCNR whether or not we can move forward in a new spirit of preservation,” Moon said. “The legislation that created the White Clay Creek Preserve includes statements about historic resources. The official letter from DuPont selling this land mentions historic resources. It is part of the directive of the Preserve’s managers to preserve historic resources.”

While the LTHC prepares for the site visit, it has gathered additional community support. On August 5, local residents joined with members of the LTHC, London Britain elected officials and the New Garden Township Historic Commission at the site of the house, as part of the “This Place Matters Program,” an initiative developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation that encourages people to celebrate the places that are meaningful to them and to their communities.

From the time it began seven years ago, the Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve have looked at the John Evans House as a key component of the London Tract historical district, which also includes the nearby meeting house, an

adjacent cemetery and the remaining remnants of a historic mill.

“The John Evans House, the London Tract Meeting House, the cemetery and the mill form the entire nucleus of the history of this preserve and this whole community,” said LTHC’s Martin Wells, who is also a member of the London Britain Township Historic Commission. “We all feel that it’s essential to save every component of that history.”

In order to assure absolute and final protection of the John Evans House and the entire historic district, every one of these structures needs to be included on the National Register of Historic Places. For the LTHC, achieving that distinction will involve a four-step action plan, involving the completion of surveys and grant applications and receiving approvals from state commissions.

If the LTHC is able to hurdle all of these steps and eventually obtain funding, Moon said that the group’s vision for the John Evans House will be to stabilize the structure, protect it from potential human damage with fencing and windows, and include interpretive signage, so that visitors will get an opportunity to see the real “bones” of the house Continued on page 84

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John Evans House Continued from Page 83

when it was originally built.

“I believe there is a place for ruins in our landscape, even ones that are degrading in front of our eyes,” she said. “I am a student of architecture, and when I look at that building, I see so much more than I do with a finished structure. It reveals the building’s technology, and it helps people place themselves in time. An old building need not be perfectly painted to be a valuable historic resource.”

A volunteer service organization, Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve sponsors educational programs, organizes clean-ups, coordinates volunteer park maintenance events and seeks funding that help pay for improvements in the London Tract historical village. To learn more, visit www.FriendsofPaWCCP.org.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

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The brick frame of the damaged structure clearly reveals the framework of the fireplaces that were included in the original home.

The author wishes to thank Shaun Mullen for his article “This Old House: It’s Having a 300th Birthday, But There Won’t Be a Celebration,” which helped in providing additional historical facts that contributed to this article.

Landenberg Life | Fall/Winter 2019 | www.chestercounty.com

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