Brandywine Stories: Declare Where You Live — Bringing History Home
Dare to Declare spreads across Chester County
In old houses, creaks and wind can echo in the hall, but in some Chester County homes that predate the Revolutionary War, those quiet rooms once overflowed with talk of liberty, war and freedom. If walls could talk, many would speak the language of revolution. Beneath their plaster and fieldstone lie stories of ordinary people who made extraordinary choices, risking fortune, freedom and family for a new nation.
Two and a half centuries later, those same porches, parlors and tavern greens are again resonating with patriotic voices. Across Chester County, residents are preparing for America 250, the national commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
And in this landmark year, a new civic ritual in Chester County is helping communities reconnect to the founding document that began it all.
A Living Declaration
The initiative, called “Dare to Declare,” was conceived by Rose Fennell, Superintendent of Valley Forge National Historical Park. Her simple idea — to invite people to gather where they live, work and play and read the Declaration aloud — has grown into a regional phenomenon. At Valley Forge, regular public readings now draw families, students and veterans to speak those timeless words in the same landscape where the Continental Army endured for freedom’s sake.
From that inspiration, “Dare to Declare” is spreading across Chester County. In 2026, neighbors will be meeting on front lawns, in parks and at historic sites to recite the text that proclaimed America’s independence. Each reading begins as it did in 1776, with determined voices, and reminds participants that democracy is sustained by citizens who still dare to speak up.
Revolutionary Roots in Historic Homes
Chester County’s beauty has always been more than aesthetic. Its stone houses, barns and taverns once anchored Revolutionary life. For example, in Marshallton, the Friends of Martin’s Tavern preserve a gathering place where patriots shared news. Thornbury Farm, now a peaceful community farm, witnessed Hessian troops marching toward the Battle of Brandywine. And in Chesterbrook, the stately Duportail House served as headquarters for French General Louis Duportail, the father of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, whose designs helped fortify Washington’s defenses at Valley Forge.
For Richard Downes, Board Chair of Duportail House, which is hosting a 2026 Declaration reading, preserving that legacy feels vital as America 250 nears. “When you stand here, you can almost picture it,” he said. “This was farmland during the war, ransacked by the British, rebuilt by neighbors and transformed into a place where democracy began to take shape.”
These properties, once family dwellings and farmsteads, became crucibles of independence, a manifestation of colonists’ determination to attain the unalienable rights of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Throughout 2026 and 2027, Chester County’s homes and heritage centers will open their doors for community readings, exhibitions and celebrations that merge architecture, storytelling and civic pride. These shared readings exemplify the America 250 spirit, linking history and hope and reminding participants that the Declaration was never meant to be silent parchment under glass. It was intended to be heard.
Where Beauty Meets Meaning
For many, “Dare to Declare” can renew appreciation for the region’s architectural legacy. The balanced lines of Georgian façades and the endurance of fieldstone farmhouses mirror the founders’ pursuit of stability and justice. Preservation, like patriotism, requires care and commitment, an act of faith that what was built with purpose should endure with meaning.
When voices rise inside a centuries-old parlor or across a sun-washed lawn, the words “We hold these truths to be self-evident” feel startlingly present. Each syllable bridges 1776 and 2026, turning Chester County’s dream homes into living classrooms of freedom.
As America marks 250 years of independence, Chester County’s historic houses, barns and parks remind us that liberty is not confined to monuments. It lives where people gather, remember and recommit to the ideals of equality and self-government.
Whether spoken beneath the sycamores of Valley Forge, on the green at Marshallton, or from a porch in West Chester, every reading is a renewal. “Dare to Declare” invites all to celebrate not only where freedom was won, but where it continues to be lived, right here, at home.
Revolutionary Foundations: Where History Speaks in 2026
Across Chester County, the places that once witnessed the birth of American independence will again echo with its words in 2026:
- At Valley Forge National Historical Park, visitors will join public readings of the Declaration of Independence led by rangers and reenactors.
- In Marshallton, the Friends of Martin’s Tavern will pair their annual ice cream social with a community reading.
- At Thornbury Farm, families will gather on fields once crossed by soldiers.
- And at Duportail House in Chesterbrook, voices will rise where French General Louis Duportail once planned the nation’s defense.
History, spoken aloud once more across the county, reminds us why they fought.
Kim Andrews is an A250 Friends Outreach Officer of the Community Foundation and nonprofit consultant. She wrote this article to raise awareness of Chester County’s role in our nation’s fight for freedom and build engagement for 2026, the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. To get involved, contact America 250 Friends at the Chester County Community Foundation, A250Friends.org.