"This Week: Model Trains, Art Lovers Alert, Wine &Cheese!"

"This Week: Model Trains, Art Lovers Alert, Wine & Cheese!"

Trivia Question❓

In Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, which iconic artist's home and studio can be visited as a museum, featuring a collection of his paintings, sketches, and personal items?

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter

Longwood Gardens Garden Railway

Now in its thrilling 25th year, this dazzling display showcases oversized model trains — steam, diesel, electric, and specialty — chugging and whirring across nearly 500 feet of track, weaving through lush woody greenery and bursts of blooming flowers...in true Longwood Gardens style!

1001 Longwood Rd., Kennett Square -Through January 11

Take a look at their presentation from a few years back in the video below:

Garden Railway 2021

Art Lovers: Take Note!

January First Friday – West Chester (Art + Culture Night)

Get ready for First Friday fun! Every month on the first friday from 5–8 pm, swing by Ginkgo Arts for our lively Open Studio and celebrate the incredible work of our resident artists. Wander through an ever-changing mix of styles — abstract, realistic, impressionistic, fashion and fabric arts, and eye-catching stained glass — there’s always something new to see.

Chat with the artists, soak in the creative energy, and enjoy complimentary snacks and beverages. Everyone’s invited!

Address: 21 S High Street, West Chester, PA
Hours: 5 pm–8 pm

Check us out on Instagram!

Penns Woods Winery: Combining Tradition and Innovation in Sustainable Wine Production

Get ready for our Wine & Cheese Pairing! Savor a delightful spread of artisan local cheeses matched with luscious local honeys and jam, all crafted to shine alongside a stellar lineup of wines. Spots go fast — reserve your experience today!

Settle into our inviting indoor Tasting Room and soak up sweeping vineyard views. From January through March, weekend visits require reservations. On weekdays, seating is first come, first served for parties of up to six. Please note: due to the intimate setting, guests must be 21+, and we cannot accommodate children or pets. For full details and to plan your visit, head to our Visit page!

Penns Woods Winery is a family-run vineyard in Pennsylvania that focuses on producing high-quality wines with a sustainable approach.

Their winemaking process combines traditional and modern techniques to create unique and distinct flavors.

The vineyard offers a variety of wine tastings and experiences for visitors to enjoy, as well as opportunities to learn about the winemaking process firsthand.

With a commitment to both quality and environmental stewardship, Penns Woods Winery provides a welcoming and educational experience for wine enthusiasts of all levels.

The Quaker's Tavern

For this month's historical tidbit, we'll look in on a brave farmer whose life was changed forever by the coming of the Revolution:

The sycamore tree, ancient and vast, stood witness, just as it would years later to the Constitution's signing, but on that fateful September day in 1777, it watched Gideon Gilpin's world crumble. Gideon, a devout Quaker and prosperous farmer near Chadds Ford, tried to remain neutral, but the British Army, marching toward Philadelphia, had other plans.

After Washington's defeat at the Battle of Brandywine, British foraging parties swept through the countryside. They took everything from the Gilpin homestead: cows, oxen, sheep, swine, wheat, even a history book and a gun. The farm, once a symbol of Quaker peace and prosperity, was left in ruins, its fields barren, its livestock gone.

With no way to feed his wife, Sarah, and their six children, Gideon made a difficult choice. He couldn't farm, so he would offer hospitality, but not in the quiet way his faith intended. He transformed his home into a tavern, serving meals and lodging to travelers along the Great Nottingham Road, a road once used by Indians and now frequented by soldiers and settlers alike.

This act of survival cost him dearly. He was disowned by his Quaker meeting for declaring allegiance to the new American powers and for running a tavern. Yet, in his home, a place that saw plundering and war, Gideon Gilpin found a new way to live, his humble stone house becoming a small, defiant hub in a land reshaped by conflict, the great sycamore overlooking it all.

💡 Answer to Trivia Question:

Andrew Wyeth, known for his realistic and detailed rural American artwork, including "Christina's World" and "Winter 1946."

Joke Of The Day

Why did the scarecrow win an award in Chadds Ford, PA?

Because he was outstanding in his field!