Radnor’s New Historic Asset Inventory Takes Shape

radnor-township

The Radnor Historical Society is pleased to announce that a new Historic Asset Inventory for Radnor Township is now underway. This follows up on previous inventories from the 1980s and 2004, using the data gathered from those surveys, expanding it with information from other documents, and including many newly identified resources. Currently, over 1,600 individual resources have been identified.

The purpose of the inventory is to promote preservation throughout Radnor by identifying historic assets throughout the Township, especially those that are obscure and overlooked. This new survey examines not only large houses and prominent public buildings, but also gateposts, stone walls, ruins, and even architectural icons of the 20th century, such as the building that was once the national headquarters of TV Guide magazine. Our hope is that property owners and the Township government will use the inventory as a guide to evaluating the importance of Radnor’s historic assets, as well as to deter modifications and demolitions to historically important structures.

The inventory was made possible by the Radnor Historical Society’s extensive archives, and it is publicly accessible thanks to hosting provided by the society. It was put together in the summer of 2010 by Greg Prichard as a project for the Delaware County Planning Department’s office of Historic Preservation, which is led by RHS board member Beverlee Barnes.

The inventory’s findings are represented online by a series of maps, as well as a list. Each item in the inventory has an additional survey form, which is also accessible through an online database. Many forms are complete, but many more still need to be finished. The Radnor Historical Society needs your help to finish the project! If you are interested in writing architectural descriptions or taking photographs, please write to us.