Quilters put history on cutting edge

Tourism center’s new creation spotlights Underground Railroad By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times The centerpiece of a new quilt for the Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau was inspired by a historic photograph of what was once the Longwood Progressive Meeting, a hub for abolitionists. Commissioned a year ago to create a quilt with an Underground Railroad theme, a scrappy...

Firefighting couple finds fulfillment – and romance

Versatile pair must relocate,  leaving void at Longwood company Adam and Janell Cressman are urging area residents to join the Longwood Fire Company, where they found romance as well as fulfillment. The Longwood Fire Company is regretfully bidding farewell to a power couple that met on the job and will be relocating to Bucks County, officials said. Early next year, the company will have to replace...

Red Cross makes it easy to thank military

Holiday Mail for Heroes will be set up at Longwood Gardens Visitors to Longwood Gardens on Monday night will be able to sign cards for the military, courtesy of the American Red Cross. For the seventh year in a row, the American Red Cross is sponsoring holiday mail for the nation’s military, and its regional chapter is making it easy for area residents to participate. On Monday, Dec. 2, from 6 to...

It’s a bird, it’s a plane: No, it’s a giant mushroom

700-pound spore to descend on Kennett Square for New Year’s Eve By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times A sketch shows the mushroom that is being fabricated for Kennett Square’s New Year’s Eve celebration. Move over, Manhattan: Kennett Square is poised to supplant Times Square as the go-to destination for New Year’s Eve. After all, who wants to watch a boring ball when the sky...

China delegation to get Chester County tour

Sino-American Regional Business and Culture Exchange is 3-day event From mushrooms to orchids, QVC to New Bolton, 25 business people from Beijing and the Chongqing region of China will receive a whirlwind tour of Chester County for three days beginning Monday, Oct. 28. The delegation is part of a Sino-American Regional Business and Culture Exchange hosted by the Chester County Commissioners, the Chester...

A venue where pipe dreams can come true

 Longwood Gardens is hosting international organ competition Ten renowned organists from around the world will compete in the inaugural International Organ Competition at Longwood Gardens. Organ aficionados, take note: Longwood Gardens’ is hosting an international competition with a $40,000 first prize. Ten renowned organists will compete in the inaugural International Organ Competition, playing...

Longwood cottages destined for wrecking ball

Kennett supervisors voted 2-1 to grant demolition permit By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times The Kennett Township Supervisors voted 2-1 Tuesday night to grant Longwood Gardens a permit to raze these three 1920s cottages along U.S. 1. For more than half an hour Tuesday night, planners, preservationists, and members of the public urged the Kennett Township supervisors to delay a decision...

Trio of Longwood cottages spared – for now

Kennett Township supervisors agree to table demolition decision By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times The Kennett Township supervisors tabled a vote on a demolition permit from Longwood Gardens for three bungalows it owns on Rt. 1 near the entrance to the gardens. Three 1920s bungalows commissioned by Pierre S. du Pont to house some of his Longwood Gardens’ staff got at least a temporary...

Historic Kennett cottages up for grabs

Longwood Gardens want to raze them; township planners seeking another option By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times These three houses are free to a new owner, with one catch: the owner needs to be able to move them off of their current site on Longwood Gardens’ property on US-1, and do so quickly. Otherwise, the homes could face demolition. Yours for the taking: three 1920s bungalows...

For tourism marketing, south of France hits home

New  campaign will capitalize on county’s cosmopolitan flair By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times Blair Mahoney, executive director of the Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau, explained the importance of boosting tourism in the region. It wasn’t exactly an identity crisis, but the folks entrusted with promoting the area as a tourist destination have agonized for some...