page_title: List of DuPont historic sites along Delaware Route 141
section_title: Longwood Gardens
hierarchical_section_title: List of DuPont historic sites along Delaware Route 141 / Delaware Route 52 / Longwood Gardens
caption_attribution_description: English: Photo, taken by Katy Harris, of East Conservatory of Longwood Gardens, March 2006, shortly after its reopening.
context_page_description: Along Delaware Route 141 there are a number of historic sites that trace the history of both the Du Pont family and the DuPont company. At the southwest end is DuPont’s Chestnut Run Plaza and at the northeastern end is the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children. Between are a number of sites on the National Register of Historic Places.
  The historic locations include equal portion of the history of the American chemical industry, the role of the DuPont family - their estates and gardens - and the philanthropy of a distinguished American family.
context_section_description: Longwood Gardens is located just beyond the intersection of Pennsylvania Route 52 and U.S. Route 1. It consists of 1,050 acres (4.2 km²) of gardens, woodlands, and meadows in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania in the Brandywine Creek Valley and is one of the premier botanical gardens in the United States.
  The property that is now Longwood Gardens was originally purchased from William Penn in 1700 by a fellow Quaker named George Peirce. In 1798 Joshua and Samuel Peirce planted the first specimens of an arboretum and by 1850 they had amassed one of the finest collections of trees in the nation. Pierre S. du Pont purchased the property from the Peirce family in 1906 to save the arboretum from being sold for lumber. He made it his private estate, and from 1906 until the 1930s, du Pont added extensively to the property, the most notable additions being the beautiful conservatory, complete with a massive pipe organ, and an extensive system of fountains. Mr. Du Pont opened his estate to the public many days of the year during his occupancy. He founded the Longwood Foundation in 1937, and in 1946 the foundation was chartered with running Longwood Gardens for the general education and enjoyment of the public. In addition to general admission, the gardens offer many special events during the year. These include concerts, firework and fountain displays to music, and Christmas lights.
caption: Newly renovated East Conservatory of Longwood Gardens
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