By Richard Schwartzman
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
As published in the Chadds Ford Post
Reprinted with permission

Chadds Ford will be making an appearance on British television this December and it has nothing to do with the Battle of Brandywine. British filmmaker Henry Cole, host of a show on the British Travel Channel shot several interviews at the Chris Sanderson Museum on Creek Road Sunday. Cole’s guests included museum founding curator Tommy Thompson, artist and resident Karl Kuerner and resident Andy Bell.The show is “The World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides” and the current project has Cole making stops while riding a custom Harley Davidson down Route 1, from Boston, Mass., to Key West, Fla. It’s expected to air on British TV this December.

Previous shows have had Cole riding Route 66 from Chicago, Ill., to Los Angeles, Calif., and another show where Cole has ridden across Eastern Europe.

Cole arrived at the museum Sunday morning riding a Saxon, a bike that was built in Phoenix, Ariz. and shipped to Boston for him. His two-man crew was in a rented convertible Toyota.

The show host was apparently unaware of the significance of the Chadds Ford area since he showed surprise when told of the British victory during 1777 Battle of Brandywine.

He did get a mini history lesson from Thompson who told him about Chris Sanderson and the museum.

“It’s [the museum] is a tribute to Chris,” he said to Cole. “Many historians belittle him, but he was factual. He didn’t make this stuff up.”

After interviewing Thompson, Cole spoke with Kuerner on the artistic legacy of the area and then with Bell about motorcycles.

Bell wasn’t scheduled to be on the show, but he stopped by when he saw the bike Cole was riding. And when Cole mentioned a mechanical problem he was having, Bell gave him a map showing every Harley Davidson dealer in the country.

Bell, the subject of Andrew Wyeth’s “Stop,” showed up on his own Harley, the one he’s shown riding in the Wyeth painting.

By Bonnie McMeans
For The Philadelphia Inquirer
Reprinted with permission

When Christian Sanderson was a student at West Chester Normal School in 1898, he wrote to his mother asking her not to throw away a dried-up orange she might find in his bedroom dresser. “It was the last orange Papa ate,” he explained.

Sanderson saved a lot more than partially eaten fruit. The teacher, historian, fiddler and radio personality collected thousands of » Continue reading “Museum Houses Historic Oddities: A Man’s Lifelong Collection is on Display”

By Richard Schwartzman
Chadds Ford Post
Reprinted with permission

A group of Chadds Ford Township students took their Power Puzzle Challenge seriously and have now presented their findings to the Christian C. Sanderson Museum. The applicable word is “inefficient.” Colby and Mitchell Camp, along with Jeremy and Haley Manin, Jonathan Jackson, John Cronin and Justin Lindner, all of Chadds Ford attended a First Lego League robotics tryout in January that included teaching students about energy choices, efficiency and solutions. The Power Puzzle Challenge was to select a building and study its energy use. The students chose the museum.
According to the formal presentation, the students found » Continue reading “Students Audit Sanderson Museum”

By Richard Schwartzman
Chadds Ford Post
Reprinted with permission

Once again we are reminded of both the need for change and its inevitability. It was just a few weeks ago when the issue was addressed in this space regarding the need for some changes with Chadds Ford Days. And now, as reported in this week’s issue of The Chadds Ford Post, the call for change is permeating the atmosphere at the Christian C. Sanderson Museum in Chadds Ford Township.

Part of that change has already happened with the election of Sally Jane Denk to the presidency of the museum board. Ms. Denk’s election itself represents » Continue reading “Baton Passing”

Sally Jane Denk wants the Sanderson Museum to become a well-known resource

By Richard Schwartzman
Chadds Ford Post
Reprinted with permission

For the first time in its almost 40-year history, the Christian C. Sanderson Museum is led by someone who never knew the iconic Chadds Ford personality. And also for the first time, the president is a woman.

Sally Jane Denk was voted in as president of the museum Board of Directors in April to take over leadership following the resignation of » Continue reading “New President and Directions for Old Museum”