Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
History Quarterly Digital Archives

Source: April 2003 Volume 40 Number 2, Page 40

Foreword

Page 40

The Wright brothers, Wilbur and Orville, ushered in the aviation age of powered flight at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903, when Orville Wright became the first man in history to fly a controllable, powered airplane. The History Club anticipated the 100th Anniversary of this flight at its September meeting when member Roger Thorne presented a history of the Main Line Airport, which opened in 1929. His remarks are included as the opening article in this issue.

In our second offering, member Bill Nassau looks back at the development of Paoli as he experienced it, from its days as a railroad town early in the 20th century to today's favored suburban shopping destination. He offered this perspective on Paoli's history at the Club's annual Afternoon Tea in October.

William and Joshua Evans can be credited as the founders of Paoli. The elder Evans set up a blacksmith shop about 1719, and his youngest son Joshua opened an inn nearby that became known about 1769 as the famed Paoli Inn. A story printed in West Chester's The Jeffersonian newspaper on May 13, 1882 about the Paoli Inn is repeated here to add perspective for interpreting the Paoli history included in this Quarterly.

TREDYFFRIN EASTTOWN HISTORY CLUB QUARTERLY
Volume 40, Number 2 – April 2003

With the Holland Farm and Tredyffrin Township east in the background,
Haig Kurkjian pilots his HK-1 at the Main Line Airport. 1957.