Historical Commission Continued from Page 35
The New Garden Township Historical Commission originally formed in 1992, and while Jones wasn’t an original member of the commission, she came on just a few years later, and has been the driving force ever since. She served as the chair of the historical commission for 16 years before taking on the role of historian. Today, the New Garden Township Historical Commission includes chairman Brian Roberts, secretary Charles Horton, treasurer Elizabeth Horton, members Ted Christie, David Hawk, Jones, Michael Leja, Lynn Sinclair, and associate members Marilyn Becker, Joan Bonnage Proscino, Pownall Jones, Chris Robinson, Carolyn Roland, and Mary Sproat. They all share a commitment to protecting New Garden Township’s history. The group has been described as a family by at least one official from Chester County. “There’s a lot of camaraderie here,” Jones said of the Historical Commission members. They are united by a purpose, fulfilling the mission of
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Landenberg Life | Spring/Summer 2017 | www.chestercounty.com
the Historical Commission as explained by the township’s adoption of the Historic Preservation Ordinance: to protect historic resources in New Garden Township; to identify all buildings and structures which are important to the culture, history, and tradition to the residents of the township; to establish a process by which proposed changes or demolition affecting historic resources are reviewed by both the Historical Commission and the Board of Supervisors; and to encourage the continued use and preservation of historic resources consistent with preserving the historic character of those resources and to facilitate their appropriate reuse. The projects, programs, and initiatives undertaken by the Historical Commission are varied. “We have done so many things over the years,” Jones explained. The project that Historical Commission members spent the most time on was protecting the future of the Landenberg Bridge. The bridge was originally built