Thornbury Township, PA II (10/27/2020)

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

We found a map of the trails in Bonner Park.

We returned to Bonner Park, but to a different trailhead to
follow the green trail, then turn right on the yellow trail

As the trees lose leaves, the forest opens up a bit

Voilà! The Taylor Frazer Ruins of the house (1739)

Colonel Persifor Frazer commanded a regiment of soldiers during the Battle of Brandywine that took place about five miles from here, and was taken prisoner. Meanwhile his wife, Mary Taylor Frazer faced off with British soldiers who plundered the farm. The house burned down in 1926. 

A photo of the house in 1893

We are facing the same wall of the house

The interior side of the chimney

Continuing the Thornbury Township tour:

60 Tanguy Road (c 1870, in Second Empire style)

Next stop: Cheyney University was established in 1837 as the African Institute, the first Historically Black College/University, and one of three HBCUs that began before the Civil War. Founded by the Quaker Richard Humphreys. It was relocated to George Cheyney's farm in 1902.

Fire pits and note the line of barbecue grills
or smokers along the fence 

It appears each Greek organization had its own cookout spot,
and this one has a lawn jockey... 

Legend has it that the statue represents an African-American boy, Jocko Graves, who was left behind to hold a lantern when George Washington crossed the Delaware River. It is also said that green or red ribbons on lawn jockeys alerted escaping slaves on the Underground Railroad as to safe houses or not.

Melrose (c 1785 center section, 1807 right section,
amd 1850 left section) served as the University
President's House from 1903-1968

Our way was blocked to see the historic
 Cheyney Log Tenant House and Farm

119 Station Road/Cheyney Station (1900), which
has always incorporated the Cheyney Post Office

703 Cheyney Road/Former Wayside Church
(1873 in Gothic Revival style)

646 Cheyney Road/Thornbury AME Church (1958)

Thornton Post Office in the Yellow House,
the post office was established in 1829;
thought to be the oldest United States
post office still in its original building

378 Glen Mills Road/Yellow House (c 1750 as
 an inn and tavern) has also served as a general store

The Stables of Yellow House is a restaurant (KSS)

4 Westtown Road/Bethlehem Methodist Church
(1891, with a Gothic influence)

Halloween-decorated house across from the cemetery

1525 Wilmington Pike/Thatcher Painter Farm may be
the last working farm in Thornbury Township