History of Paradise Farm
Previous to the summer of 1875, nobody had heard of a week in the country for a city child. In that year, young Mrs. Eliza Sproat Turner, founder of the New Century Club for women, who had a gift for making people hear of the unheard, and who owned a farm in Chadd's Ford, persuaded "12 startled parents of 12 little girls that it would benefit the children to spend a fortnight on her farm as her guests.”

Mrs. Turner and her friend Mrs. Fannie Weitzel, collected the wondering children and were the escorts of the first Paradise Special. In the next year, 1876, the undertaking rested. The following year, twenty children were gathered – some to other country homes. Since then the work has never stopped. In 1875 it had it’s beginning simultaneous with the Fresh Air Fund movement in Boston and New York. In the social work of the city of Philadelphia, in the modest sense of the word, CCWA is the pioneer organization.

As more and more children were sent out, volunteer caretakers and counselors were also sent to stay at the farmhouses. It was their duty to amuse, and direct the morals and manners of the children.

By the 35th year 1910, 3000 children were sent to 25 farms during July and August. Board members would visit farms and sign up those they approved. Sometimes they walked from one farm to another or rode in a roadcart. Then came the speeding auto.

In 1912, the organization purchased “Paradise Farm” opening a new era in Country Week work. On June 28, 1913 Paradise Farm Camps was formally opened in the “helpful surroundings of the beautiful rolling country of East Bradford Hills.” The farmer in resident grew vegetables for camp use. Campers picked beans and peas. Milk was eight cents a quart. Large wooden boxes kept all food cold – great chunks of ice were hauled in daily from Downingtown at a cost of $45.00 a season. Children ran down to the creek to wash.

That summer and in many to come, the shallow stream, Valley Creek, furnished the joy of paddling, fishing, boat sailing and guidance in aquatic sport. The big barn and all it’s operations were to help promote in the boys the desire to handle livestock and crops in the future.

While we are no longer an operating farm, we provide six six day sessions of resident camp still serving primarily families from the Philadelphia area, a day camp for local children, environmental education, facility rentals and more.

Historical Information quoted from the CCWA 1875 Annual Report