ChesLen Preserve

After the Embreeville State Hospital closed the Poor Farm, part of the land was managed by the Buck and Doe Run Valley Farms as a grazing site for the beef cattle of the King Ranch of Texas. When the cattle business ended in the 1970's, part of the property was used for a time as a commercial turf farm. Part of the surrounding land was also used as a mushroom growing and canning facility in the 20th century. In 2007 the 1,263 acre ChesLen Preserve was created by Natural Lands Trust. As its name suggests, from a merger of land donated by Chester County to add to a 568-acre parcel from philanthropist Gerry Lenfest, and further bolstered by the purchase of a parcel of land containing the Unionville Barrens – one of nine remaining serpentine barrens in Pennsylvania harboring rare and unusual plants that have adapted to the nutrient-poor soil. ChesLen has a variety of micro-ecological zones, including forested woodland, farmed fields, meadowland, and streams. The preserve is open to the public daily and has over 9 miles of hiking trials.