Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
History Quarterly Digital Archives

Source: January 1981 Volume 19 Number 1, Pages 32–34

Notes and Comments

• Church Avenue in Berwyn
• Paoli Man's Uniform in British Imperial War Museum
• Valley Forge Park Announces Management Plan
• Diamond Rock School Featured in I.U. "Logo"
• Cumulative Index Nearing Completion

Page 32

Church Avenue in Berwyn

Since the item on the boardwalk in Berwyn appeared in the previous issue of the Quarterly, there have been several inquiries about the location of Church Avenue in Berwyn.

It is now known as Main Avenue. Its original name, which in some ways still seems more appropriate, stemmed from the fact that the Methodist, Trinity Presbyterian, and St. Monica's Roman Catholic churches were all located along it. With the three churches, the area was once also popularly known as "Mount Zion".

Paoli Man's Uniform in British Imperial War Museum

The Imperial War Museum in London now has in its collection the uniform of a lieutenant in the Coastal Artillery from the First World War, The uniform was worn during the war by Robert C. Ligget, and presented to the Museum by his widow, Frances H. Ligget, a member of the History Club.

"Until we received these items," D. J. Fenn, keeper of the Department of Exhibits and Firearms, wrote Mrs. Ligget in expressing the Museum's appreciation, "our collection of First World War United States uniforms was distinctly sparse, and your late husband's uniforms and equipment have done much to remedy this lack."

Page 33

Valley Forge Park Announces Management Plan

Following its series of public meetings, mailings, and the distribution of questionnaires to elicit comment on three alternative general management plans for Valley Forge National Park, the National Park Service has announced that it has selected what was basically Alternate 2 (see the previous Quarterly) as its plan for the future management of the site. The primary emphasis of this alternate, as it was described, is "on the preservation and restoration of the historic scene to the encampment period of December 1777 to June 1778".

At the same time, it was announced that as expected, some modifications will be made in the Alternate as originally proposed, to include proposals from the other two alternatives.

A major change from the original proposal will be to retain the railroad station as a visitors' center, although the observation tower and certain other buildings dating from later periods, as identified in the original proposal, will be removed. The food and souvenir concession will also be moved from its present location near Washington's headquarters to a new location near the present visitors' center.

The program to clear the vistas in the park area, it was also announced, will be carried out on a long-term basis and "phased in as existing trees die", with no replacement of them in the specified historic areas. The dogwood grove will be retained, however, with white dogwoods used to replace dying trees since they are the native species*

The biggest problem, as anticipated, concerned the road network within the Park. The Park Service will strongly support and advocate the construction or improvement of roads outside the Park, to provide "future diversion of vehicular traffic from the park". At that time', it was announced, Gulph Road will be closed, as will a portion of County Line Road connecting with Gulph Road. An intra-park mass transit program will also be introduced. Parking facilities will not be reduced, although they will be redistributed to reduce those in the historic area, with additional parking provided for recreational users of the Park.

The picnic areas will also be expanded, with new areas developed at several places.

"The significance and primary purpose of Valley Forge National Historic Park remains as it has always been — one of commemorating a great and highly significant moment in early American history," James W. Coleman Jr., the Regional Director of the Park Service, commented in announcing the accepted alternate.

Page 34

"The decisions reached cannot possibly please everyone," Gil Lusk, Park Superintendent, also noted, "or respond to each person's hopes and needs, but I hope it meets most of your concerns. It does reflect our honest consideration of all comments made to us, with appropriate changes made where necessary."

Diamond Rock School Featured in I.U. "Logo"

The old Diamond Rock Octagonal School House in Tredyffrin Township is featured in the recently designed "logo" of the Chester County Intermediate Unit, (The Intermediate Unit serves all schools in the county and coordinates certain county-wide educational programs, including special education, curriculum development and in-service programs, and federal programs. It also operates a Instructional Materials Service for audio-visual materials.) The insigne was designed and drawn by Lloyd Hall, director of the Instructional Materials Service program.

Cumulative Index Nearing Completion

For the past several months Linda McNeil has been working on a cumulative index to cover the last five volumes of the Tredyffrin Easttown History Club Quarterly. (An Index for the first thirteen volumes is already available.)

It is expected that the new index, covering Volumes XIV through XVIII, will be ready for distribution early this year. A few back copies of most issues of these volumes are also still available for purchase from the club.