About
Outdoor Middletown
and Middletown Township Land Conservancy
Who is Outdoor Middletown?
Outdoor Middletown is an expanded version of Middletown Township Land Conservancy (“MTLC”), a non-profit organization formed 40 years ago to preserve natural lands in our Township. MTLC had a series of successes, starting with the Indian Orchards Park in 1985 (see The History of MTLC). This new Outdoor Middletown website reflects MTLC’s broader goal to help preserve and protect our Township’s entire ecosystem—all the natural features whether they are on public or private property.
Guide to Trails, Parks, and Playgrounds
There’s a wild side to Middletown you don’t see driving down Baltimore Pike. Middletown Township is blessed with an abundance of trails, clean-water streams, varied terrain, woodlands, and neighborhoods of mature trees and gardens. (Little-known fact: we have more hiking trails than any other township in the greater Philadelphia area). The second of Outdoor Middletown’s expanded roles is to make it easier for residents and visitors to discover wild Middletown with our comprehensive directory of trails, parks, and playgrounds. We believe that the more people go outdoors and enjoy the natural features of our township, the more they will want to join us in our grand effort to preserve and protect this beautiful green gem of a township we call our home.
MTLC Success Stories
Indian Orchards
The Middletown Township Land Conservancy (MTLC) was formed in 1981 when a group of neighbors joined together to preserve from development the 36 acre Indian Orchard Girl Scout property which was being offered for sale. This natural area was one of the few available, undeveloped large tracts of land in a sea of houses and included 100 to 200 year old trees, three streams that are part of the Chester Creek watershed and a rich habitat for small animals and numerous migratory and nesting birds.
Herman and Edith Cope, who owned the adjacent farm, purchased the property in 1919. In 1932 the Girl Scouts were invited to use this wooded park for their camping area and, subsequently, purchased the property from the Swan family in 1952. Fred Swan married Sarah Cope in 1936 and they moved to the farm in 1972 when they retired. The Swan’s daughter, Nancy Bernhardt, and her family, the current owners of the farm, moved to the property in 1973. And so it was in 1981, that the Swans and Bernhardts and one of those concerned neighbors, Lou Fournier of Cricket Lane, became the prime movers in an effort to persuade the Township to purchase the former Girl Scout camp for a passive recreation park. The Township was awarded a grant of $75,000 from the Federal government, while a fund raising drive was begun by the newly incorporated Middletown Township Land Conservancy to supplement the Township funds necessary to reach the approximate $225,000 purchase price. Indian Orchard Park was officially dedicated by Township officials on September 21, 1985.
In 1995 David Lansdale, a charter member of MTLC, conveyed 4.7 acres of his land adjoining Indian Orchards Park to the Township. The walking trails of the park were extended through this additional acreage which became known as Lansdale’s Glen.
Linvill and Darlington
In 1987 a special binding referendum, Project 300 (which celebrated Middletown Township’s 300th anniversary of incorporation) won overwhelming approval from the voters and opened the way for the Township to acquire over three hundred acres of farmland owned by the Linvill and Darlington families. MTLC played a major role in changing attitudes about open space preservation in the Township.
Rocky Run
Also in 1987, MTLC became one of the holders of a perpetual easement for conservation purposes on a 34.7 acre parcel of land adjoining the Rocky Run Creek in the Township. Originally owned by Wawa, Inc., the parcel was part of a subdivision agreement with the Township. As a holder of the conservation easement, MTLC has a duty to enforce the conservation restrictions that have been placed on the property and of ensuring that the property remains in its natural state.
Elwyn Institute and Mineral Hill
In 1994 MTLC became aware that Elwyn Institute, Inc. was planning to develop a portion of their property know as Mineral Hill, which had long been recognized by land conservationists, mineral collectors, biologists and watershed advocates for its unique attributes. MTLC, the Chester-Ridley-Crum Watersheds Association, Upper Providence for Open Space and the Delaware County Safe Drinking Water Coalition organized to prevent the destruction of this sensitive watershed area adjacent to the Ridley Creek. The expertise of Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future, Schmid Associates and Cahill Associates was obtained—financed by local residents. This resulted in the creation of a conservation analysis in 2006, which delineated the most sensitive areas of the property. In 2010 46.2 acres of the Mineral Hill property were purchased for $650,000 from Elwyn, Inc. with funding from a grant obtained by Natural Lands Trust through the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and funds from the citizens of Middletown Township.
On November 9, 2010, Delaware County officials dedicated the newly acquired Mineral Hill property as a new County park. Combined with the adjoining Memorial Park in Middletown, the Lavin Tract and Louis Scott Park in Upper Providence, this property completes an approximately 100-acre site in the Ridley Creek watershed that preserves a wooded area which will protect our drinking water, provide a habitat for wildlife and open space for all to enjoy in perpetuity.
Local Partnerships
MTLC works closely with other groups to foster a regional approach to development because we share drinking water, roadways and schools. Our partnerships included Residents for Middletown, Save Middletown, Upper Providence for Open Space and The Chester-Ridley-Crum Watersheds Association. We have also worked to support of Friends of the Chester Creek Branch in their efforts to convert a former branch of the Pennsylvania Rail Road into a two-and-a-half-mile trail along the Chester Creek in Middletown. Construction is now complete and the trail in use. Engineering studies are underway to extend the trail into Aston.
Join Us
Middletown Township Land Conservancy is an all-volunteer organization. A relatively small group of heros drove the public conservation efforts for the last 4 decades. Now, to achieve the ambitious, expanded goals of the new Outdoor Middletown, we need more people to plug in and help out. We need a variety of specialties and skills. The first step is to join Outdoor Middletown by signing up for our mailing list. It’s free. If you have skill or knowledge to offer, put it in the comments in the signup. Or email us. Contact Rob.Rayfield@Outdoormiddletown.com.
MTLC is financed by tax-deductible donations. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization for tax purposes. Click the donate button to give “green energy.”