Remembering Chester County: Stories from Valley Forge to Coatesville

Through a series of fascinating vignettes from local storyteller Susannah Brody, discover how the people of Chester County affected and were affected by American history.

When Elizabeth Chad opened her door one foggy September day in 1777 to see the Continental army surrounding her property, little did she know that her home would soon be the scene of the Battle of the Brandywine, which led to a series of skirmishes from Paoli to Valley Forge. One hundred years later, the Great Tornado of 1877 destroyed towns and crops, and the famous Buffalo Bill caused a ruckus when he strolled into West Chester. Discover how the people of Chester County secreted slaves along the Underground Railroad, hosted witch trials and fought for women's suffrage.

Susannah Brody is an author and storyteller with an interest in local history. She has a master of arts degree in oral traditions from the Graduate Institute in Connecticut. She is a member of Patchwork: A Storytelling Guild and the National Storytelling Network. She has written several books on local history. Susannah served on the Uwchlan Township Historical Commission for thirty years. She volunteers at the Chester County Historical Society and Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. Her storytelling activities include programs for all ages, living history portrayals and workshops on storytelling and developing living history characters.