While this preserve is technically members only, it is also a national landmark, as the site of a…read moreRevolutionary War battle. Luckily, anyone may visit with a pass from many local libraries. The preserve is maintained by Brandywine Conservancy, so if you obtain the free visitor's pass for Brandywine Museum and Conservancy at the library, you may access any of their preserves and/or the museum (and the trails on the museum grounds). Birmingham Hill Preserve is largely a wide open field, once the battlefield. It's hallowed ground, and it felt hallowed to me. There are paths mowed in the field, nice and wide, to keep you from the longer tick grass. Birmingham Friends (Quaker) Meeting is just across the street (with their cemetery right there next to the parking lot of the preserve), so it is another historic site nearby. Didactics explain info about the battle, and the positions of the armies. I am not a huge history buff, so while this was interesting to me, I didn't have time to read them while chasing and holding the interest of a toddler, but I imagine that if you have detailed background knowledge about the battle, it would come alive and be a great stop on a tour of Washington's path. They offer dog waste stations and have posted rules about dogs needing to be leashed in the preserve, however their website states that dogs are not allowed at this preserve out of respect for the fallen during the Battle of Brandywine, Sept 11, 1777. I felt okay about taking my leashed dogs around the perimeter walk, but I felt a little uncomfortable walking them through the battlefield itself.

If you're visiting the Fort Christina National Historic Landmark, don't miss this historical…read moremarker. I learned a lot from our day trip to Wilmington and New Castle yesterday. Before our visit, I knew next to nothing about the founding of the colony of New Sweden, and the monument and park at the former location of the fort - and this historical marker - was an incredible introduction to the pre-revolutionary history of the region.

It's important to remember where we came from and how we got here. And this marker that…read morecommemorates Delaware's first known black settler is part of that. It's at the end of 7th street near Fort Christina Park and it reads: "A black man named Anthony was among the first permanent settlers of New Sweden. He came to the colony from the West Indies in 1639 aboard the Swedish ship Vogel Grip. Records indicate that Black Anthony became a free man named Antoni Swart, an employee of Governor Johan Printz, who cut hay and sailed Printz's sloop during the 1640's and 1650's."

Make sure you don't go on a Monday. Everything is closed!! lol…read moreBut we took a nice hike thru the woods to get there!!!

Great spot, excellent food, and friendly staff!! It's such a nice spot for a laid back evening.read more

Incredibly beautiful Monument honoring our veterans from the Revolutionary war to the present in a…read moretasteful beautiful setting. Located on Pennsylvania Route 3---West Chester Pike in Newtown Square, it's an easy ride from Philly or any of the burbs. Its statuesque granite is a fitting tribute to those who served.

Couldn't pass on this historical Fort tour while visiting PA. The staff were very friendly, very…read moreknowledgeable and even told us stories of apparitions and spirits walking the grounds. The gates of the fort are original from the late 1700's as well as a bunch of restored artifacts like the original cannon balls in the office

If you are a revolutionary war buff this may be your cup of tea…read more Back in the 1700's the colony of Pennsylvania had their own Navy! A land locked state with its own Navy that is right! According to some of the brochures that are in the gift shop Fort Mifflin and Fort Mercer were the reason today we won our independence in the revolutionary war. Very interesting facts and extremely knowledgeable tour guides make this visit a great trip. Some of the original buildings are still standing including some of the jails they housed prisoners in and the buildings where they housed all the ammunition and artillery. Heck, if you want you can even take your lunch where the soldiers took there lunch as they have old benches still there but beware the air is a bit musty being that the building is quite old : ) We were offered this choice as we went with a group of approx twenty people. The tour ended with a firing of a musket and canon fire! They didn't load the musket with a bullet but rather gun powder however that bugger made a heck of a noise when fired, imagine three hundred muskets going off at one time, no wonder a lot of the soldiers lost their hearing in the war. If you are looking for some history you have found it here in Fort Mifflin right near the Philadelphia International Airport. As always people SYOY!!!

Another historic gem in Delco, which was home to a signer of the Delclaration of Independence…read more (Below info from Wiki and the Morton Project Websites): The homestead was founded in 1654 by Morton Mortenson, a Finnish immigrant, however, the structure itself, was originally constructed circa 1698. The Morton Homestead was home to Morton Mortenson, and subsequent Morton family members. The Homestead sits in what was once the colony of New Sweden, and it is one of the oldest buildings in Pennsylvania. Morton Homestead is now part of Morton Homestead State Park in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Parts of the current house date back to the 1698 with a large addition constructed in the 18th century. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. Mortenson's great-grandson, John Morton, signed the Declaration of Independence. John Morton cast the tie-breaking vote for independence as a member of the Pennsylvania delegation to the Continental Congress in 1776. John Morton is absent from many stories of American independence, but historical records paint a different picture. Morton's service included representing Pennsylvania in the mysterious Stamp Act Congress that adopted a Declaration of Rights and Grievances for the British government. He was later chosen as a Pennsylvania delegate to the First Continental Congress and selected again for the Second Continental Congress, where he cast the decisive ballot that swung the Pennsylvania delegation over to an affirmative vote for independence.

Another important landmark and point of history, this marker commemorates one of the station…read moremasters on the Underground Railroad. This was how many southern slaves escaped their slavery to the North and freedom. Wilmington was an important stop on this route. The marker reads: "Born August 21, 1789, in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, Garrett came to Wilmington in 1822. A prominent merchant, his home and business were located nearby on Shipley Street. Garrett was committed to the anti-slavery efforts of his Quaker faith. He is credited with assisting more than 2,700 of "God's Poor" to escape slavery through the secret network known as the Underground Railroad. Though he was convicted and fined by the U.S. District Court in 1848 for aiding runaway slaves, he refused to abandon the fight to abolish slavery. After his death on January 25, 1871, Black Wilmintonians carried him to the Quaker Cemetery at 4th and West Streets in appreciation of his unwavering commitment to the emancipation of slaves."

Wonderful display right now of historic buildings and artifacts from local communities. Staff is…read morealways friendly and helpful. They have an upcoming night tour of an old cemetery. That looks interesting. There is usually sufficient parking behind the building.