PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — An iconic piece of Brandywine Valley history is heading to the auction block.
Chadds Ford Township purchased the Italianate-style mansion, Painter’s Folly, for $625,000 using open space funds back in 2018. However, after spending more than $250,000 to maintain the 170-year-old house, the decision has been made to sell the property.
The home once served as the base for illustrator Howard Pyle’s summer art school and it was linked to father and son artists N.C and Andrew Wyeth.
The township approved permanent property easements this month to protect the home that sits on 3 1/2 acres along Baltimore Pike from future demolition. Officials said a sale would only go forward with those easements in place.
The Painters Folly Preservation Alliance has demanded answers to a number of questions, including what will happen to antiques and other historic items located inside the house.
Painters Folly will be sold Thursday, Oct. 22 at 11 a.m. through an online bidding service.
