To the north of Wayne lies a countryside not only steeped in beauty, but one that is sacred to all Americans because of the part that Valley Forge played in the history of their country in the winter of 1777-78. From Wayne the two main roads, that lead to the lovely Chester Valley section and to Valley Forge beyond, are Radnor road and Croton road. The former crosses old Upper Gulph road at right angles somewhat to the east of North Wayne avenue, while Croton road has its beginning slightly to the west of the place at which North Wayne avenue terminates at Upper Gulph road.

Pictured is part of Warner road in the 1890’s, as it went through the former Gardner L. Warner farm of 176 acres, before this farm was purchased by J. Howard Mecke in the early 1920’s for his Colonial Village development. Most of the beautiful homes in this section were built on the former farm land, although the houses on George Washington hill, which were constructed in 1928, are located on the former William Hughes farm.

Above is Radnor road, just after it crosses Upper Gulph road, showing the two huge twin oak trees on the left. Radnor street, as it is sometimes called, was laid out in 1683, and running almost due north and south, it divides the township into two almost equal parts. Welsh Friends began to build their homes along this road as soon as it was laid out.

A young fisherman on the banks of Martin’s Dam, once known as Zook’s Dam in the late eighties. Much fishing is now done at the Dam at spots where the sport does not interfere with swimming. (It should be interesting to identify this small boy more than sixty years after his picture was taken.)

Old Hughes Saw Mill, on Croton road, on the present site of the parking lot of Colonial Village Swimming Pool. The original mill, with surrounding acreage, was bought in 1800 from Isaac Bewley and his wife, Ann Bewley, by William Carver and Abner Hughes. The latter was the founder of the large Hughes family, all of whom lived for many years in the Croton road section. In 1816 Abner Hughes built a new mill on the site of the original, and also constructed the dam which is now Colonial Village Swimming Pool. In 1855 a grist mill was built to adjoin the saw mill. Although they fell into disuse in the early 1900’s these mills were not torn down until 1922.