Publisher’s Letter

County Lines is 50 years old! The cover summarizes where we’ve been. But the magazine is about where we’re going. Homes, history, horses … Shelly Laurence tells us about books. Adam Wolf tells us about bats. I clue you in on the Media Theatre’s upcoming season, while Liz Tarditi focuses on whiskey and mushrooms, a Chester County delicacy.

In our feature article, we preview “Chester County Day’s 85th Tour of Tours.” Yes, it’s older than us. The tour will highlight the northwest quadrant of the county this year, along with homes in West Chester. Visit historic homes that their owners graciously open to the public for this fundraiser. Mark your calendar for the first Saturday of October.

Jane E. Dorchester, architectural historian, suggests that, with some background, you’ll find there’s more to appreciating Chester County Day than ogling the tasteful decor and fine antiques. In “Discover a New Level on ‘The Day,’” she offers a guide to the architectural details, choice of materials and fine craftsmanship. Ready to see what you’ve learned? Try County Lines’ This Old House Bingo!

Why are old Chester County homes so easy to love? They weren’t built to be charming, but to be practical, offering shelter for the cold winters, hot kitchens, storage for food and provisions for uncertain times. Read Kim Andrews’ Brandywine Story in “Built to Last.” For something modern, in “Home Decor,” we show contemporary decorating ideas, from designer finds and handcrafted pieces to statement furniture.

For a fun event, on September 19, you can bring history to life through reenactments, demonstrations, lectures and family-friendly activities. Step into the world of colonial America and explore the role this historic furnace played in the nation’s founding in “Warwick Furnace and the Revolution.”

As summer fades into autumn, the Brandywine Valley’s fall equestrian season hits its stride. Come for the world-class competition, family-friendly traditions or the beauty of horse country in fall. In “Gallop Into Fall,” Shannon Montgomery describes six events that promise unforgettable weekends for every equestrian fan.

Bats are the only flying mammals and play a critical in the local ecosystem, writes Adam Wolf of the Willistown Conservation Trust in “The Night Shift.” Bats, he says, eat large numbers of nighttime insects. If you have a welcoming property, getting them to visit is fairly easy: provide welcoming habitat and let nature take its course.

Shelley Laurence of Main Point Books offers eight books in “Books About Books,” reminding us why we fell in love with reading.

“The Media Theatre’s Coming Season” is loaded with excitement, including four Broadway-caliber productions: a murder-mystery comedy, the iconic Roald Dahl chocolatier story, the adventurous prequel to the story of Peter Pan and a Broadway classic. Get your tickets now!

September is national Bourbon Heritage Month, shares Liz Tarditi in “Rebellion in Every Glass,” where she describes the Pennsylvania Whiskey Rebellion Trail and the farmers, distillers and rebels who transformed surplus grain into rye whiskey. Celebrate the movement that helped spark one of America’s first armed uprisings. And enjoy some of Pennsylvania’s whiskeys.

In Brandywine Table, Liz Tarditi also contributes “Magnificent, Marvelous, Mouth-watering Mushrooms.” She writes that mushrooms produce exceptional flavor, impressive versatility and remarkable nutritional density. It’s easy to understand why mushrooms are increasingly recognized as one of nature’s true superfoods. We’ve also shared how in 50 years, our food coverage has evolved — from 1977’s “The Back Burner” to our current “Brandywine Table” column.

And check out our Best Local Events coverage for great things to do this month.

Perhaps you already have County Lines delivered to your mailbox. Lucky you! Save it for future reference. At CountyLinesMagazine.com, you can read the September issue online. At Issuu.com, you can read the digital issue. Or click “Get A Copy” on our website to find locations to pick up your own free print copy.

We hope you’d like to subscribe to County Lines, particularly because it is our 50th anniversary of publishing. It’s half-price for a 1-year subscription! Subscribe on our website or call 610-918-9300. For single issues, try Baldwin’s Book Barn, Main Point Books, More Than Books, Bookish Notions, Wellington Square Bookshop or Reads & Co. Bookstore. Visiting an advertiser is also a great — and free — way to find copies!

We hope you enjoy this issue.

Thank you for reading.

Ed Malet, Publisher

610-918-9300

Chester County Day’s 85th Tour of Tours

On October 3, the first Saturday in October, we’ll celebrate the 85th Tour of Tours that rasies funds for Chester County Hospital. This year the tour will focus on the northwest quadrant of the county. We have a photos of four stunning homes, both exterior and interior, two in West Chester and two in Glenmoore.

Built to Last

In 1776, people needed shelter that would hold up through cold winters, hot kitchens, stored food, animals, harvests, children, hired hands, muddy boots and uncertain times. The houses were built of Chester County’s natural materials: limestone, serpentine, brick and timber. They had wide hearths and deep-set windows. Those are quaint details but also offer a view to the past. Early Chester County families built with what they had and adapted when they could. The houses are beautiful, but they lasted because they were useful first.

Gallop Into Fall

The fall equestrian season is upon us. Watch the competition at the Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show, Devon Fall Classic and Plantation Field International Horse Trials. Admire the elegance — they often call it “ballet on horseback” — of Dressage at Devon. Then support the next generation at the Radnor Hunt Starter Horse Trials. Finally, in November, feel the thunder as riders and horses cross the rolling countryside at the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup.