We have made progress since announcing that we had received a grant from the ABPP (American Battlefield Protection Program) in 2014 with the goal of become one of only 2500 sites nationally that bear the destination of National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service.   Please check our site regularly as we will keep this page updated on our latest status.

Update 3 – August 2015

The National Historic Landmark department responded to our Letter of Inquiry in July.  The reply was positive and very helpful.  A NHL Historian has been assigned to us as our reviewer and, through our discussions with her we are able to narrow the focus of our application to primarily one of NHL criterion (you only need to establish unique national significance in one of the six criterion’s that are used to select an NHL).  In addition, NHL provided some very interesting suggestions on how to enrich our application utilizing aspects of American folklore and national memory.  This works well with our current research which has uncovered references to the Battle of Paoli and the battle cry “Remember Paoli” throughout the next 150 years, especially during times of conflict such as the War of 1812, the Mexican American War, the Civil War, WWI & II.

We also found out that the NHL must necessarily start with information that is currently in the official Department of the Interior records on the Battle of Paoli which is from the Battle of Paoli application to the National Register of Historic Places (NHR) approved in 1996.  This application was submitted when 43 acres of land was threatened by development and securing federal recognition was extremely important to try to preserve the site.  The application took the path of least resistance and fastest approval from both the Pennsylvania Historic & Museum Commission (PHMC) review staff as well as the National Park Service.  It established the site as a Revolutionary War battlefield and did not pursue the documentation to raise the level of importance from local significance to either state-wide or national significance.  Over the years, the Paoli Battlefield Preservation Fund and the County of Chester have developed documentation through historical research and archaeological studies that support the higher level of significance.  However despite the research, some of it published in recognized historical texts, nothing was submitted to the NHR through its process.

Therefore, PBPF plans to utilize the documentation (developed and being researched) to update both the NHL submission and to amend the current NHR official information.  While we have given NHL verbal and written summaries of our findings, in order to adhere to the timeline under our American Battlefields Protection Program grant, we will be providing an in-depth report to them in September.  This report will include a clearer thematic context in which the Battle has uniquely impacted the American consciousness as well as its strategic significance in the Revolutionary War.  It will also provide the historical and archaeological references that support that context.  This information will also be provided to PHMC reviewers in a format to amend to the current NHR listing.

NHL will review our submission starting in October.  At the same time, we will be identifying further historical and perhaps archaeological evidence to strengthen our submission as it continues through this rigorous review process.  PBPF would like to thank the National Park Service for their assistance and guidance so we can present the strongest case possible in our application.

We will be providing our supporters with more specific details, historic references and information on the contexts and themes we are developing through this website and our social media.

Donations and Sponsorships for Matching Funds ARE NEEDED!

Help us in this once in a lifetime opportunity!!

We are a registered 501C(3) and all donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. To make a donation, click on the link on the top right part of the screen under Please Donate.

PA Educational Improvement Tax Credit are being set up to develop extra-curriculum programs in K-12 schools to participate in living history, field visits and participation in preservation and research activities related to the Battle of Paoli, the Revolutionary War, Veterans and our national heritage.

Businesses are encouraged to contact PBPF – Contributions to this program can be used as tax credits rather than just charitable donations.

Update 1 – March 2015

Update 2 – May 2015