85th Chester County Day Tour
Northwest Quadrant - A Thank You from our Editor
What a Day!
What a perfect way to celebrate 85 years of the longest running house tour in the United States. The skies were blue, morning temps were a bit chilly to start, there was even a hint of that misty morning meadow which allowed some of the many fireplaces to heat the heart and hearth of the homes which we visited, then the sun appeared as Chester County Day transpired and the matriarchs of the starting days years ago were breathing above us a sigh of relief that the meteorologist who figured out by hand, and was correct, that the first Saturday in October was the best weather day to hold a house tour got it on the first go around! All in attendance got exactly what they were looking for in old Chester County properties and homes that were graciously open for our enjoyment and lasting memories.
Without doubt, it was another great day of 18th and 19th Century architecture, old, vintage and family furnishings, artworks, green open meadows, pumpkins, mums, friends and leisurely open space country road rides outside the two West Chester town beauties that we saw. It was the perfect day for one’s inspiration to see what others are doing with their dwellings, their collections and their gardens and properties.
They say it takes a village today to get things accomplished for the betterment of all and Chester County Day is no exception. There are several hundred volunteers who plan and prepare for The Day starting right after the current tour is over and then there are another several hundred on The Day who volunteer to make your visit as complete as possible from Greeters at the entrance to the home, the Hosts and Hostesses at the open doors, the docents in every room you marvel at, the parking crews, the signage crew who get one from house to house, and the crew who gets The Day started with The Hunt right down to the refreshments. It’s a village that has been ongoing for 85 years and it only gets better and more organized as the tours continue.
And of course one could not forget the homeowners who have been invited to open their homes for the benefit of the Healing House on the Hill, The Chester County Hospital. The one and only thing or benefit open homes and properties get for their work is two VIP tickets to attend the event (even though the owners are so involved most never leave so they can greet visitors and answer questions throughout The Day.) They have mostly prayed for a day like yesterday’s weather, but for weeks preceding the tour, they are weeding, washing windows, cleaning, arranging their shelves and tabletops, waxing and polishing, and making everything presentable for your visits! We thank them for their hard work and efforts all in the name of the hospital. Over the course of the years of the tour the committee has given the proceeds of The Day to The Chester County Hospital and that number marks us at well over Five million dollars
Ideas for decorating, plants discovered in gardens that will be on our spring buying lists, paint colors and wallpaper usages, furniture designs, and room layouts configured in our heads were visible at every turning. It makes the tour the success it was created 85 years ago to showcase the best of Chester County and its history, its properties, its people, and to provide a welcome day to dream. - Michael Pillagalli, Editor
Volunteer Opportunities
We are already starting to plan our DAY for October 2, 2027! We will be in the Northeast Quadrant that will include Malvern, Chester Springs, Phoenixville and more.
Would you like to join our committee or volunteer during the DAY on October 2, 2027? We would love to have you! Email us at chestercountyday@gmail.com.
If you have been a volunteer for us in the past, we hope that you already have October 2, 2027 in your calendar to enjoy the DAY with us once again!
Chester County Day Homes Wanted
🏡 Be a Part of a Chester County Tradition! 🏡
Do you have a beautiful, historic, or unique home in Chester County?
Join us for Chester County Day, the oldest house tour in the nation — a beloved celebration of local architecture, history, and community!
✨ We’re currently looking for proud homeowners to feature their homes for our next Chester County Day Tour in 2027. Showcase your home's charm, share its story, and help us support the Women’s Auxiliary’s Pledge for the “Integrated Cancer Care Campaign” for Chester County Hospital.
Interested?
📩 Send us a message at ChesterCountyDay@gmail.com if you would like to be a part of the DAY this year!
THANK YOU SPONSORS!
PLATINUM SPONSOR:
Rittenhouse Builders
MAP SPONSOR:
ACS Services
GOLD SPONSORS:
E.C. Trethewey Building Contractors
Griffiths Construction, Inc.
Hazley Builders | Architects
Stoney Bank Nurseries, Inc.
SILVER SPONSORS:
Archer & Buchanan Architecture
Asher Slaunwhite + Partners
Chester County OB/GYN Axia Women’s Health Care Center
Margaret and Bob Duprey/Cherry Knoll Farm
Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Holleran
John Milner Architects, Inc.
Marshall Sabatini Architecture+
Period Architecture Ltd.
Peter Zimmerman Architects, Inc.
Mr. Michael A. Pilligalli
The Woodlands at Phillips Mushrooms Farms
ValorBuilt Construction
World Wide Stereo
ANNIVERSARY SPONSORS
Evolution Sustainability Group
Flowers & More, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. Randolph H. Hess
Karim P. Husain, Esq.
James A. Cochrane, Inc.
Liz Walton Home