White Clay Creek Preserve

The White Clay Creek Preserve Sexton's House Needs Your Help

What is the Sexton's House?

The Sexton's House (SH) is a historically important (circa 1829) eye sore located across the street from the beautifully restored, London Tract Meeting House (1729) and the White Clay Creek Preserve park office. The SH once housed the caretaker of the Meeting House and serves as a great example of Penn Plan architecture. Penn Plan houses were inexpensive and simple dwellings, made from expedient, local materials, therefore, funds have not been allocated to restore the Sexton's House. White Clay Creek Management can either cultivate the necessary resources to save the Sexton's House or they may be forced to raze it, loosing an important part of Chester County history.

What is the Sexton's House Project?

The SH was on the verge of collapse until 1994, when an informal partnership was forged with the White Clay Watershed Association to restore it. Over $8,000 in Preserve contributions, $5000 afforded from a private grant (Lang Family Foundation) and $3,685 in materials were utilized by a volunteer staff, who committed hundreds of hours to the agreement. In addition, the Historic Architecture Department at the University of Delaware produced architectural drawings to assist in the restoration process. While steps were made to stabilize the structure, the project proved too extensive, technically demanding and laborious for volunteers. The SH has remained untouched for several years. There is an immediate need to take proactive and immediate measures to continue restoration of the Sexton's House. The SH has been spared, mainly because White Clay Creek Preserve management, along with the local community, have never lost sight of its potential. They have continued to view it as a standing embodiment of community identity and a significant example of the living conditions of typical working families of the region's early past.

What Does the Sexton's House Project Need to be Successful?

The Bureau of State Parks (BSP) has taken steps toward a commitment to White Clay Creek Preserve's history, planning to spend an estimated $250,000 over the next four years. BSP funds will be used to rehabilitate the Yeatman Mill House (the oldest structure in the Preserve, dating to the early 1700s) and London Tract Meetinghouse wall. While BSP has recognized the importance of the Preserve's History, their fiscal support has limits. In order to supplement BSP funds and save the Sexton's House, grants and other partnership opportunities must be explored. The process has been set in motion but a leader is needed to take long-term responsibility and eventually manage all aspects of the project. A college intern is also needed to help move the project through the summer.

We are currently looking for a volunteer to coordinate all fundraising and community involvement aspects of the Sexton's House project. Energetic housewives, retirees, or students with superior written and oral communication skills and sense of community service, are encouraged to apply. In addition, we are looking for a paid intern to help cultivate grant opportunities. Salary for the position is $9.72 an hour. The college intern position must be filled by mid-June and is reserved for Pennsylvania residents only. Lastly, individual, business or corporate donations to save the Sexton's House are being accepted. Donations to public sector parks and recreation departments are tax deductible. Please call 610-274-2900 or stop in the park office for more information on any of the opportunities mentioned previously.

Back to White Clay Creek Preserve