Dairy Master's Cottage and Barn

By the mid 19th century many Chester County farms had converted into the dairy business. With the introduction of the railroad and the introduction of the cream separator, creameries sprang up throughout the rural areas. These creameries were supplied with fresh milk from local farms and converted the milk into butter and cheese which was able to be shipped by rail into the cities of Wilmington and Philadelphia. A stone 1 and one half story dwelling was constructed in the late 19th century as the dairy farmers home on the William Forsythe farm. The building has a gambrel style roof with dormers. Uphill from the house was the dairy barn that served the 19th century farm. In the early 20th century the property was acquired by the Mather family. After the forebay barn near the Mansion house was converted into a state-of-the-art equestrian complex the Mathers used this barn for dairy operations managed by a tenant farmer. Gilbert Mather had a prize winning herd of Jersey cows on the farm in the early 20th century. The aging 19th century dairy barn was in use in the early 1990's by the Radley Run Country Club but was in need of extensive structural repairs. The timber frame structure was sold, dismantled, and reassembled in Newlin Township and now lives on as a private residence. A more modern structure replaced the former barn and is used by the Radley Run Country Club for storage and maintenance. Return to Country Club Road and head west towards General Layfayette Boulvevard and follow that road south to the Samuel Painter House.