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Springton Manor Farm: Showcasing Agriculture from the 1700s to Modern Day

By Ann Lane, April 2026

barn with sunset
The Great Barn at sunset with the Chester County Foodbank's raised beds in the foreground. Photo by Park Ranger Rita Mounayar.
tree and pond
Penn Oak growing by the children's fishing pond. Photo taken by Kate Mazzi.
family fun museum
Ag Museum in the Great Barn. Photo taken by Kate Mazzi.
park ranger in musem
Park Ranger Jay Erb in front of the recently donated spinning wheels in the Ag Museum.

Springton Manor Farm, the county's 300-acre demonstration farm in Glenmoore, Pennsylvania, is more than your typical county park. Open to the public year-round, Springton not only offers hiking trails and scenic vistas, but it is also a working farm that brings the past 250 years of agricultural industry to life.

Initially home to the Lenape and later part of a William Penn land grant, the land that became Springton Manor Farm has been in agricultural use since at least the early 1700s. The name "Springton" first appears in a land survey document dated March 6, 1700. The park takes its name, like many of Penn's properties, from the names of Penn's family members. His wife's maiden name, Springett, was the inspiration for "Springtown" which later evolved into the "Springton."

The property was owned and farmed by many families over the years including familiar Chester County names like the Atlees, McIlvaines, and Bartols. The earliest known owners initially built a grist and sawmill along Indian Run Creek which is located towards the lower end of the property. Later owners diversified operations to include a dairy, row crops, an orchard, vineyard, and sheep. Springton's last private owner and farming enthusiast, Eleanor Bartol, dedicated it to the county for public enjoyment in 1988.

In addition to greeting the farm's current livestock including sheep, horses, goats, and chickens, visitors are encouraged to visit the Great Barn, built in 1888, to witness how farming has changed over the years. The barn's agricultural museum highlights tools used on Chester County farms from the 1700s to the 1900s, many of which are on loan thanks to a partnership with the Chester County Historical Society.

Exhibits are arranged to illustrate how advances in farming equipment led to greater efficiency over time, including hay raking equipment that would have been pushed by a human to one drawn by horses, both of which contrast with a modern tractor in the entryway. The museum also includes equipment that was used for ice harvesting, row crop farming and processing, dairying, cider pressing, and even antique oil cans to show how some of the earliest mechanized equipment had to be maintained to keep from rusting.

In 2026, Park Ranger Jay Erb and former Parks + Preservation staff member Susan Manwiller donated two antique spinning wheels which had been with their respective families since the 1800s. The smaller wheel, donated by the Erb family, was used to spin flax, one of Chester County's most lucrative early crops. The larger wheel on the right, donated by the Manwiller family, was used to spin wool, another crucial agricultural product for the early local economy.

As part of the America250 celebrations, the museum will be undergoing refurbishment which includes additional interpretative signage and illustrations.

Just outside the Great Barn, the Chester County Food Bank runs a modern farming operation which includes a fenced field for fruits and vegetables, raised beds, and hoop houses that produce vegetables for Chester County residents year-round to fight food insecurity. The Food Bank partners with volunteers from area businesses to get hands-on farming experience for just a day or on a regular basis (no hay rakes required!).

Although not farming related, no visit to Springton is complete without a visit to the park's stately Penn Oaks next to the children's fishing pond. As part of the 250th anniversary of Penn's arrival in Pennsylvania, the two massive trees, which have been included in documentation back to 1682, were officially recognized as Penn Charter Oaks (Penn Oaks for short). The trees are easy to identify with their low, sweeping branches.

With over 3,500 acres of parks land and over 25 miles of multi-use trails, Chester County Parks + Trails has something for everyone. Approximately 1.5 million people visit the county's natural, historical, and recreational treasures each year.

Sources & Further Reading