Author: Doug Humes

Who was Gradyville named for? The simple answer is State Senator John Cadwalader Grady. But the back story is more complex. And interesting. And like so many interesting stories, it begins with a tavern.

In 1995, there was no community-wide celebration in Newtown Square. But one was planned. The Newtown Square Historical Society hosted a full day of activities to highlight the history of the township.

First things first: no Virginia, there was no Sandy Flash.

When William Penn’s settlers began arriving in Edgmont Township in the 1680s, they found a…

Before William Penn, the Swedes and Dutch settled the Delaware Valley, there were the native…

World  War II ended in August 1945, but the “Cold War” essentially began at the same time. The struggle between democratic capitalism and authoritarian communism lasted for most of the 20th century.

The United States celebrated its 200th birthday in Philadelphia on July 4th, 1976. The Bicentennial was a stone in the pond, whose ripples continue to be felt. The ripples reached to Oak Lodge on Middletown Road in Gradyville, where long-time resident Jane Levis Carter had been keeping research notes and records on Edgmont Township since her childhood.

After Delaware County was split off from Chester County in 1789, a new road was…

Following the American Revolution, a civil war took place in Chester County. The county seat was…

Carl Ewing, past Chief the Newtown Square Fire Company is now the “Official Time Capsule Opener.” When the first firehouse building was built in 1916, a copper box was sealed in the cornerstone.