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Chester County Day Saturday A Great Opportunity to See Private Historic Homes

By Carolyn Roland- In Delaware and S. Chester County PA

Services for Real Estate Pros with Independent architectural histor'n Delaware RS-0010115

September 28, 2011 10:03 AM

Chesco Hist Soc. The First Saturday of October every year sees a very special event. This is the 71st Annual Chester County Day, this year featuring homes in the southeast Quadrant of Chester County, Pennsylvania, and the Borough of West Chester.

This year there are 34 stops on the tour, including walking tours of Historic Goshenville and Sugartown Village. Early birds may choose to start the day at the Radnor Hunt and be on hand at 9 a.m. to see the hounds and hunters take off.

I usually attend the preview lecture the night before at the Chester County Historical Society (left) at either 6 or 7:30 p.m. That's when you get a chance to see pictures of the next day's stops and choose your priorities and map out a route. I don't think it's possible, or at least it's difficult--to see all the homes, barns, blacksmith shops and Quaker Meeting Houses on the tour between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Every year the committee which organizes this event to benefit the Chester County Hospital, mails out a newspaper to previous attendees, and I have just finished reading the information packed issue mailed out last month. And now I see that it is available online http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1tp93/71stAnnualChesterCou/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yudu.com%2Fitem%2Fdetails%2F394883%2F71st-Annual-Chester-County-Day-House-Tour-Newspaper

If you don't want to go into this data rich resource, you can check out the website http://www.cchosp.com/cchfdn.asp?p=1216&m=1177 . It's too late to get tickets by mail, but you can purchase them for $35 at the preview.

Early days saw tourgoers in chauferred Rolls Royces, wearing tweeds, hats, and gloves, and today, proper attire is suggested, but it's up to individuals what to wear. I have been doing this for many years, and I must say I can't recall the "ladies who lunch" thing going on, perhaps just a touch of tweed. After all, the temperatures will be in the 60's Saturday, which is more appropriate than the 70's and 80's we have been experiencing. Whatever the weather, I'll be there!