Brandywine Battlefield Park Restoration

Restoration Artisans was commissioned by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) to perform historic plaster restoration work at Brandywine Battlefield Park in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. The project focused on two historically significant structures: the Gideon Gilpin House and the Benjamin Ring House, the latter serving as General George Washington’s headquarters during the Battle of Brandywine, fought on September 11, 1777 — a pivotal engagement of the American Revolutionary War.

The Gideon Gilpin House holds important historical associations as well. Gideon Gilpin, originally a Quaker, later aligned with the American cause after British forces pillaged his home. Historical accounts indicate that the Marquis de Lafayette, after sustaining a leg wound during the Battle of Brandywine, was brought to the Gilpin House for initial treatment before being transported to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where he continued his recovery.

Both buildings had experienced deterioration due to the use of modern cement-based and gypsum plaster repairs coated with latex paint. These incompatible materials prevented proper vapor permeability, allowing capillary moisture to accumulate within the masonry walls, resulting in peeling finishes and surface degradation.

Working closely with onsite staff, failing materials were carefully removed, and the Restoration Artisans team restored the interior wall systems using traditional hydraulic lime mortars and plaster products supplied by Limeworks. A historically appropriate three-coat lime plaster system was installed and allowed to properly cure, reestablishing the walls’ ability to breathe and manage moisture naturally. Following completion, Brandywine Battlefield Park staff applied breathable mineral-based paints to preserve the restored surfaces.

Restoration Artisans is honored to have partnered with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in preserving this nationally significant site and to have contributed to safeguarding structures connected to the legacy of America’s founding and its first president.

Highlights of the work completed on this historic structure.