4. Longwood Gardens
In 1906 Pierre S. Du Pont, following in the tradition of his nature-loving ancestors, bought land in the Brandywine Valley to rescue an arboretum in danger of being destroyed for timber. With time — and the help of the Du Pont fortune — his investment evolved into Longwood Gardens, one of the grandest gardens in the world.
Located just west of the intersection of Rtes. 1 and 52, this paradise of plants boasts more than 11,000 different species in two types of settings: outdoors on 350 exquisitely manicured acres, and indoors in conservatories that shelter 20 indoor gardens. Among the most notable attractions here are the Flower Garden Walk, the Italian Water Garden, the Main Fountain Garden, the indoor Children’s Garden, the Orchid Display, and the Silver Garden, featuring plants that flourish in some of the world’s harshest environments. On summer evenings you can spread a blanket beside one of the three Fountain Gardens and enjoy a concert, a play, or a fireworks display.
5. Chadds Ford
Just south of the intersection of Rtes. 1 and 100 lies another institution that inspires deep pride among area residents, the Brandywine River Museum. Displayed on its walls are works by Howard Pyle, Rockwell Kent, and some 300 other artists. But it is the Wyeths — America’s so-called First Family of Art — who give the place its special éclat. Three generations are represented here: N. C. Wyeth, one of the most popular and prolific illustrators of his day; his son Andrew, the celebrated realist painter; and Andrew’s son, Jamie, who carries on the family’s tradition of richly textured landscapes that capture the quiet splendor of their beloved Brandywine Valley.
The building that houses this unique collection of Americana — a converted 19th-century gristmill — is something of a work of art in itself. The galleries (including one illuminated solely by natural light) are graced by the original hand-hewn beams and wide-board pine floors. The lobbies, walled with glass, look out onto gardens of wildflowers and, beyond, the Brandywine River, where herons can sometimes be seen nabbing fish in the shallows. Heading north on Rte. 1, the drive passes through Chadds Ford. The town is named for John Chad, a farmer who ran a ferry back and forth across the Brandywine River in the early 1700s. At the intersection of Rtes. 1 and 100, head north on Rte. 100. About half a mile up the road you’ll find Chad’s carefully preserved two-story house, now a museum.
6. Brandywine Battlefield
On September 11, 1777, British troops marched past the site of the Brandywine River Museum and, less than a mile to the east, handed a defeat to those of General George Washington. The future president then met the greatest test of his leadership by pulling the Continental Army through a brutal winter encampment at Valley Forge. The clash is recounted at the visitor center and reenacted each September. Nearby are the headquarters of Washington and his French ally, the Marquis de Lafayette. Just east of the park, a turn either north or south on Rte. 100 leads through a lush green landscape where, on one side of the road, you may spot a herd of Holsteins grazing in their pasture and, on the other, thoroughbreds leaping over split-rail fences and standardbreds trotting with dapper riders at their reins.
