Drone technology helps preserve historic Black church and cemetery in Delaware County

Archaeologists and township leaders use new tools to map and protect the legacy of a trailblazing Black preacher

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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In Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, archaeologists and township leaders are using drone imagery and other technology to survey the remains of a historic Black church and cemetery known as Archie's Corner. The site was founded by Rev. Lydia Archie, a trailblazing Black preacher, in 1891. After the church fell into disrepair, the township is now working to stabilize and improve the property, which includes dozens of unmarked graves and a connection to the renowned Wyeth family of artists.

Why it matters

Archie's Corner represents an important piece of African American history in the Chadds Ford community. By preserving this site, the township can honor the legacy of Rev. Lydia Archie and the Black congregation that once thrived there, while also maintaining a connection to the Wyeth family's artistic legacy that helped keep the site's memory alive.

The details

Using drone imagery and other surveying tools, archaeologist Jason Herrmann has been able to map the location of dozens of unmarked graves at Archie's Corner that are no longer visible from the ground. The township is now seeking grants to stabilize the site, which includes toppled headstones, overgrown vegetation, and a collapsed stone wall. Future plans include adding signage, marking the unmarked graves, and even creating a virtual reality experience to show visitors what the church once looked like.

  • Rev. Lydia Archie founded the church at Archie's Corner in 1891.
  • After Archie's death, the church fell into disrepair.
  • Chadds Ford native Andrew Wyeth preserved the site's legacy through dozens of paintings.
  • The township is now working to have Archie's Corner added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The players

Jason Herrmann

An anthropological archaeologist with the University of Pennsylvania who is using drone imagery and other tools to survey the remains of the church and cemetery at Archie's Corner.

Rev. Lydia Archie

The founder of the church at Archie's Corner in 1891, who went on to become the oldest ordained woman preacher in the African Union First Colored Methodist Protestant Church.

Andrew Wyeth

A Chadds Ford native who preserved the site's legacy through dozens of paintings.

Timotha Trigg

The chair of the Chadds Ford Township Board of Supervisors, who is working to restore the Archie's Corner site.

Jason Davis

A resident of Mount Joy, Lancaster County, whose grandmother Vivian Kinslow Reed once lived at Archie's Corner and modeled for Andrew Wyeth.

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What they’re saying

“I feel very strongly about this work.”

— Jason Herrmann, Anthropological archaeologist (cbsnews.com)

“Archie's Corner is really special in that not only do we have this African American cemetery, which is a record of this community, but then we have the intersections with the Wyeth family.”

— Jason Herrmann, Anthropological archaeologist (cbsnews.com)

“It holds in a lot of people in Chadds Ford's heart. So if they could rebuild it and make it something close to what it was, I think it would bring a lot of joy to a lot of people.”

— Jason Davis (cbsnews.com)

“It's almost a sacred trust to have the responsibility to be a proper steward for a site that's the final resting place of so many people.”

— Timotha Trigg, Chair of the Chadds Ford Township Board of Supervisors (cbsnews.com)

“It's really important just to have people engage with the place around them and its history.”

— Jason Herrmann, Anthropological archaeologist (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

The township is now working with the state to have Archie's Corner added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The takeaway

By preserving the historic Archie's Corner site, the Chadds Ford community can honor the legacy of a trailblazing Black preacher and her congregation, while also maintaining a connection to the renowned Wyeth family's artistic legacy that helped keep the site's memory alive.