No Painter’s Folly Liaison for 2026

As of January 6, 2026, Chadds Ford Township Board of Supervisors has not taken action to appoint Painter’s Folly liaisons for 2026. Chadds Ford Township resident Ed Worteck previously served as Painter’s Folly liaison from January 2025 to January 2026. Worteck is a Professor Emeritus of Art and Art History at Goucher College with an expertise in photography and historic preservation documentation with projects associated with the Lancaster Preservation Trust, Franklin Marshall College, and the Rouse Foundation.

Following the July 16, 2025 Painter’s Folly public meeting, the Chadds Ford Township Board of Supervisors discontinued communication with Mr. Worteck and denied him access to the interior of Painter’s Folly, preventing him from continuing his photographic documentation of the property. All photographs produced during his tenure were made available to the Township for grant writing, research, and documentation purposes. The Board of Supervisors and Township Manager did not respond to emails sent from Mr. Worteck following the July 16, 2025 public meeting or clarify the reasons for his termination.

This development is of concern, as Mr. Worteck was responsible for strategic outreach to potential preservation partners, including Dr. William Coleman of the Wyeth Foundation; coordination with preservation organizations such as the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia; and advocacy for the preservation of the full historic site within Chadds Ford Township and the broader southeastern Pennsylvania region.

We urge Chadds Ford Township to appoint a qualified historian, preservationist, or architect to serve as a Painter’s Folly Liaison. The Liaison would

provide informed, impartial advocacy for the site and actively engage with potential preservation partners to support its long-term stewardship.