As such a small state with only a few votes in the Electoral College compared to the other members…read moreof the Union, even back in the mid-1800's, Delaware didn't get much respect. Abraham Lincoln came to the First State only once when he was a Congressman but never returned when he was the President? Not even once? Also, you'd think that this would be near Lincoln Square. It isn't. The marker is on the side of a building and reads: "On June 10, 1848, Congressman Abraham Lincoln traveled to Wilmington, Delaware, for the purpose of addressing a meeting of members of the Whig political party. He was accompanied by Delaware Representative John W. Houston and two other members of Congress, who were returning to Washington from the Whig National Convention that had chosen Zachary Taylor as the party's presidential nominee. The future President and his colleagues delivered their remarks from a balcony at the east end of the Fourth Street Market House, a complex of buildings which stood in the center of 4th Street between Orange and Market. Introduced as the "Lone Star of Illinois," Mr. Lincoln was greeted with great enthusiasm by those in attendance. In a speech that was praised as "eloquent and patriotic," he extolled the principles of the Whig party and the virtue of its candidates. This was his only documented visit to the First State. After serving one term in Congress, he left public office to return to his law practice in Illinois. In 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th President of the United States."

We had a lovely time at the Rose Valley Museum. The history in Pennsylvania is amazing and this is…read morejust the start of our exploration of history and culture in Delaware County and beyond. Also known as the Thunderbird Lodge, this was a community of artist who started with a leap of faith in 1904 with approximately 60 people and moved here from Paoli. They started a community of woodworking enthusiasts, artists, painters, writers etc.. and were very successful in the arts and crafts movement. The museum was opened in 2017 to the public and has been thriving ever since. The property is approximately laid across one acre of land. There is a wonderful gift shop with may artifacts from the eighteenths and nineteenths centuries, that you may purchase for yourself or others to enjoy for your own pleasure Please, if you live in Delaware County come experience the history of our community and give back to the ones that keep our history alive. There is a mere $10 donation collected at the door when you enter. Unfortunately, the building is not handicapped accessible due to the structure and the artifacts in the building, but this is a great place for couples, especially if you are planning to be in the area or families who want to come to visit and enjoy a day trip learning some historical history about our community. Thank you to the volunteers who were so knowledgeable about this project and extremely helpful to us.

The Rose Valley Museum has been around a little over a year now, but I just discovered it a couple…read moreweeks ago. When I took a look at their events and saw a whiskey & chocolate tasting, um, I was there! Admission is $10 for non-members, but with our $20 event, we got free admission to the museum. I'll explain the museum first, and the event we attended, below. The museum is housed in Thunderbird Lodge, designed by architect, Will Price, who was the father of the Rose Valley craftsmen guild at the beginning of the 20thC. The museum is primarily dedicated to this era in Rose Valley's history, however, there are Native American artifacts, remnants of RV's 18th/19thC. Quaker inhabitancy, and other facets of the borough's history, to learn about, as well. The interior of the lodge is gorgeous! Exposed beams, Arts & Crafts features everywhere, handmade EVERYTHING! Artfully laid fireplace stones, hand-hewn stair railings, leaded glass windows! There were handmade Moravian tiles wherever appropriate (Will Price was friends with Mercer). Just art everywhere! The main room you hit upon entry is where they hold events. Beyond there, you find a sitting room and dining room, arranged for use with original Rose Valley furniture, and period lamps, rugs, and decor, all either made by the original guild, or authentic to the period, and part of the Arts & Crafts style. I saw some Tiffany type lamps, but no Van Erp. Furniture was Stickley style, with a little more rusticism and character, IMO, which adds to the charm. I saw a lot of Art Nouveau pieces, especially in things like candlesticks, pottery, and smaller carved wood decorative objects. Tons of pottery was housed in china cabinets, and glass cases. The woodwork for the trim and built-ins around the lodge is high quality, and beautiful. They are currently restoring it back to its original form (for example, the dining room used to have a curved gold-leaf ceiling). Loads to see, especially if you admire this aesthetic. Since we were there for an evening event, there were various fireplaces roaring, adding so much to the ambiance, as well as candles, and parchment-shaded lamps. It was so cozy and inviting! Upstairs is another large room, which housed a more eclectic array of Rose Valley history. There is a small hand-carved totem pole, papier-mâché animal heads, an original guild worktable, antique train station sign for Moylan-Rose Valley, more original furniture pieces, Plein Air painting, portrait of Price, etc. If you are at all curious about the Arts & Crafts movement, they have truly captured a great feel for its flavor at this museum! ---------------------- Now, the event! I highly recommend trying one of their gatherings! The museum's board was there, and they run things, hands-on, like devoted hospitality ambassadors! They are all so welcoming and friendly. We seriously felt like we'd been invited to a 70-person dinner party, and had conversations with almost all of the board members. They were amazing hosts! Note that this event was sold out, and they had a waiting list, with people at the door hoping to get in. They allow you to sign up online, so if you see something you want, get it! Our tasting was four different rounds of whiskey drink, personally made up by a board member, who knows his stuff. Each round was paired with a chocolate from Shane Confectionery in Philly. Our aficionado announced each round with a fun story, and gave all the details of his ingredients' origins. Every table had ice and water if needed (not for me!). They even went around and offered everyone seconds, and sometimes thirds, on each round... I politely accepted a few of those. We got more than our money's worth, it was amazing! After the tasting, they had a full spread of hors d'oeuvres to help sober up, but, for those hoping to keep the party going, there was also a bar available. Everything was beautifully, tastefully done. I can't wait to try another event!

There's so much cool stuff within the city limits that I've committed to trying to explore…read moresomething new (to me) every week. Recently that meant exploring the trolley trails in west Fairmount Park and finding the stone spiral arch bridge. In the early 1900s, a scene trolley took people through the woods. Nature has reclaimed the trolley paths, but in recent years they have been converted into miles of hiking trails. It's not crowded--I only saw 4 other people, mountain bikers, on my visit. It's a great place to explore. It's shaded so the walk was cool. It's pretty level so the hike is easy. And if you know where to go, you can find this beautiful bridge that looks like a brick spiral. The years have taken a toll, so I wonder how much longer we'll get to enjoy it. It's cool to think that in the past so much work was put into creating a beautiful structure that really just needed to serve a simple function. Don't have time for a long hike? You can get to the bridge quickly by entering the trail from Chamounix Mansion. Park by the equestrian building and head in. It's probably less than a 1/2 mile walk to the bridge.

I'm one of those weird Aquarius people who like to explore abandoned buildings, and ancient sites,…read moreso I had to check out Stone Arch Bridge! It is an old bridge that leads to nowhere because it is no longer being used. It is surrounded by a forest, and kind of hard to find. The best way to find it is to stay at Chamounix Mansion, and follow the trail behind the trees. It's worth checking out if you like to post on Instagram, and finding hidden gems that are off the beaten path.

This is a wonderful family friendly event to attend and a good way to see the cabin. I hear it is…read moreopen more regularly during warmer months. Be prepared to park further away and walk if you need to as this is in very small space. Apparently there used to be a smokehouse here, but when it was being fixed up in 2015 or 2016, a tree fell on it a few hours after the repairman left for the day. Thank goodness the repairman was not hurt. Many decades ago, before organization(s) took this place over, locals would use this place for the usual of any form of debauchery that you can think of. It was nice to try to meet people and very casual, but I felt out of place. I had attended the Swedish museum's outdoor market and Lucia The Weeknd before, and a volunteer recommended I check the cabin out. I suggest that for special events that you check the cabin out with a friend or a child if you have that option to feel less out of place.

Fabulous site of an early Swedish cabin built between 1640 and 1650 along Darby Creek…read more This is one of the oldest surviving structures from the 1600s.

I had seen signs for the Paoli Battlefield many times as I drove nearby. Finally, I had an…read moreopportunity to explore. It was worth it. The Paoli Battlefield was the site of the Paoli Massacre of 1777. After losing the Battle of the Brandywine, General Washington and his rebel army retreated to protect Philadelphia from the British advance. He left a contingent of soldiers under General Anthony Wayne hidden, they thought. These trips were to disrupt supply lines. Unfortunately, the British learned of this group. They attacked in the dark of night, killing 53 soldiers. One British officer died. His remains along with the dead officers are buried at nearby St Peter's Church of the Great Valley (see my review). The battlefield is now owned by the Borough of Malvern and maintained by them. There are plaques describing the events and a cell phone tour, which was very interesting. My only reason for a star deduction was the condition of some of the plaques, their laminate surfaces so damaged that they were very difficult to read. It's a beautiful, haunting place.

This is a nice battlefield park. There are several interpretive signs and a marker for a mass…read moregrave.this was part of the British advance on Philadelphia and another loss for the Americans. One of the signs alerted me to the pretense nearby of Waynesborough, General Anthony Wayne's home so that was a bonus.

Normally I would not visit a public library on vacation (I'm from California) but since I had a few…read moreminor things that required a desktop computer through my work, I had to make a stop at "Wilmington Public Library". Located directly on E. 10th St. and in between N. Market St/N. King St in the heart of downtown Wilmington, Delaware, this library is located in the historic Rodney Square District. Hours of operation are Thursday-Friday from 9:00am-5:00pm and Friday and Saturday, Monday-Wednesday from 9:00am-7:00pm. I came here during the afternoon of Friday 10/10/2025 at around 3:15pm. Parking was fairly accessible as I was able to park my rental car directly outside (with paid parking meters). Once inside, you will notice just how spacious this library is. They have various sections that includes a dedicated children's area, a teen zone, local historical research, meeting rooms, and a very generous section for checking out books, audio books, and DVD rentals. Since I specifically needing to log online, I took the elevator to the 2nd floor to their computer lab. Once there, I explained to the librarian that I needed to use a computer and after providing basic contact information, I took care of what I needed and was on my way. Overall, the "Wilmington Public Library" is one of two libraries in the Wilmington area (the other being the North Wilmington Branch on N. Market St). This area is convenient, quiet, and took care of the services that I needed. With that said and done, I am giving this library an above average four stars.

This was my 1st visit here and I had a nice time. The library is inviting and there are lots of…read moreactivities and events year round. The staff is really friendly and happy to assist. They have hosted many Community events free!

I wouldn't have thought that I would run into the Lewis & Clark expedition in Philadelphia. It…read moredeparted from Pittsburgh on the Ohio River in 1803 to Saint Louis and continued to the Pacific Coast in Washington State. So this was interesting! The marker is quite tall and reads, "With William Clark he led the transcontinental Lewis & Clark Expedition, 1803-1806. Lewis prepared for the journey & later deposited its significant specimens, journals, and other artifacts here in Philadelphia." "Here" is the Academy of Natural Sciences https://www.yelp.com/biz/academy-of-natural-sciences-philadelphia-2. There is limited street and metered parking in this part of downtown. Stopping to read the marker would be a real challenge unless you're walking. [Review 18283 overall - 581 in Pennsylvania - 1805 of 2022.]

The Tinicum Rear Range Lighthouse began operation on the evening of December 31, 1880. The…read morelighthouse is a steel skeletal structure standing 85 feet tall with 112 steps leading from the neoclassical pavilion at the base of the tower to the lantern room. Directly below the lantern room is the watch room, which has a unique wood lined closet that curves along the circular outer wall of the tower. Along with the light tower was a keeper's dwelling, consisting of seven rooms, brick oil house, frame barn and barnyard, cow shed, poultry house and privy situated on 4.8 acres of land. At various times, in the early days, "day marks", consisting of a four foot diameter iron disc, mounted on a tall staff above the lantern room and slatted frames on each side of the tower, just below the watch room, were added to show above interfering trees at the old Lincoln Park. Today, only the lighthouse remains, although a few of the original bricks, which once were part of neatly laid walkways connecting the station's buildings, may still be located around the base of the tower. Benjamin Hannold was the first lighthouse keeper at Tinicum. Captain John Birch was the last lighthouse keeper to reside at Tinicum light. Captain Birch retired in 1933 but at the request of the Coast Guard stayed as a custodian of the light until 1945. In 1890 the light was described as a fixed red light of the 5th order, 109 feet above sea level and visible for a distance of 8.5 nautical miles. The light would later be changed to a white light with a red sector, which marked the turning point to the next range. In 1917, the light was changed from oil to electric. Today, still an active aid to navigation, it is a fixed red light exhibiting 500,000 candlepower from a 1,000 watt lamp. The Tinicum Rear Range Lighthouse works in conjunction with the Tinicum Front Range Light which was also referred to as the Billingsport Front Light. This light actually serves two rear range lights, Tinicum and Fort Mifflin Bar Cut Range. It too was activated on December 31, 1880 and is located on the Delaware River bank approximately 5/8 of a mile southwest of the rear light. Originally, the lights were housed in the dwelling, moved to a detached tower in 1887 due to a change in the shipping channel and moved again to a new tower in 1908 due to another shift in the channel. Today, only the base of the tower remains, upon which is a modern skeletal tower supporting two automated lights, that continue to mark the Tinicum and Mifflin Ranges. This was another one that we chose not to climb simply because there were too many people here on late Sunday afternoon and honestly after several hundred miles of driving, having already climbed the majority of the lighthouses in the challenge plus an almost two hour ride home yet to come we simply had enough. According to their website the lighthouse is open only eight days a year. The two days for the challenge in October along with the third Sunday of the month between April & September. Also worth noting is that although their site mentions nothing about a fee to climb, they very heavy handily were shilling for "donations" or for a "climbing fee" depending on which person at the table you spoke with. I almost forgot to mention that you should break out your gas mask since more than likely will have to drive right by a veritable Fortune 500 list of refineries which are neighbors to the lighthouse and their fumes are obnoxious.

Fantastic hidden gem, friendly guides & lots of information about the history of the lighthouse.read more