Concord Township Council Vice President John Gillespie cuts the ribbon on Saturday at the unveiling of the newly restored Spring Valley AME Church in Concord Township, while Pandora Anderson- Campbell and Concord Council member Vomota Deshmukh, right, show their excitement at the community event. Anderson-Campbell remembers attending the recently restored church when she was a young child. (COURTESY OF CONCORD TOWNSHIP)
CONCORD — The Concord Township Council welcomed the public to a ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday, unveiling a restored historical treasure.
Nestled at 270 Spring Valley Road in Concord Township, the Spring Valley African Methodist Episcopal Church, once a vibrant hub for the local Black community, is poised to reclaim its role as a community cornerstone.
Built in 1880 on an acre acquired from farmer John Myers, the AME Church served as a spiritual haven for Black families employed on nearby farms.
In the early 1900s, its congregation flourished, mirroring the significant black population in the township. However, economic opportunities elsewhere led to a decline in membership, culminating in the church’s closure in the early 1980s. For years, the building stood vacant.
In 1997, a local developer purchased the church, but tragedy struck when a fire destroyed the parish hall and damaged a portion of the sanctuary. Despite subsequent repairs, the church remained dormant. In 2014, a pivotal moment arose when Concord Township opted to purchase the property through the guidance of the township’s Historical Society and Historical Commission, committing to preserving this vital piece of its history.
The journey to restore the church was a labor of love for Concord Township, requiring years of planning, research, capital funding and the alignment of grant funding. The historic preservation cost over $470,000, with grant funding through the County’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, covering slightly more than half of the costs.
During the preservation efforts, a poignant twist emerged when a 98-year-old former church member expressed a desire for a final visit.
This visit unveiled a revelation: unmarked graves of church members were told to be located on the property.
A dedicated effort ensued, involving collaboration with the AME Church, locating death certificates, and deploying ground-penetrating radar. The search revealed 10 potential burial sites, prompting the township to install a monument paying homage to those resting on the property.
Through collaboration with Concord’s Historical Society, the Spring Valley AME Church families, local artist Jamie Wyeth who contributed artwork, and the generous support of County CDBG grant funding, extensive renovations, both inside and out, have breathed new life into the Spring Valley AME Church.
Concord Township Council members said that the township takes pride in restoring this significant piece of history, recognizing the poignancy of its reopening during Black History Month.
Milmont Fire Company to hold night of comedy
Kricket Comedy and Milmont Fire Company will present a night of comedy on Friday, Feb. 9 at the Milmont Firehouse, 714 Belmont Ave., Ridley Township.
Seating opens at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. Comedians include Sean Lynch, Steve Bickel and Eddie Gallagher. Show material will have an adult theme so audience members over 18 are preferred.
Tickets are $30 and are available at http://KricketComedy.com.
Only light snacks may be provided, but guests can bring their own food and BYOB. For questions, email mfcstation49@gmail.com.
Public invited to Philadelphia Western Suburbs Trail Summit on Saturday
The 12th annual Philadelphia Western Suburbs Trail Summit, hosted by the Delco Trails Alliance, the Delaware County Planning Department, Friends of Haverford Trails, and the Haverford Recreation Department will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 10 at the Haverford Community Recreation and Environmental Center, at Andy Lewis Park, 9000 Parkview Drive, Haverford Township.
The summit will focus on trails, on-street bicycling, pedestrian improvements, and plans in Delaware County and neighboring communities. It will feature presentations by regional planners, local governments, advocacy groups, and consultants.
Residents interested in attending can register online at: http://tinyurl.com/3f47797n.
The Haverford Township Department of Parks and Recreation and the Friends of Haverford Trails began co-hosting a Trail Summit in 2013.
The goal was to highlight and discuss trails in Haverford, cycling and walking initiatives being undertaken in Haverford Township, and to inspire and promote similar initiatives in neighboring municipalities.
Over the years, momentum grew and it transformed into the Philadelphia Western Suburbs Trail Summit. With support from Delaware County and its newly formed Delaware County Trails Alliance, the summit grew again in 2021 to encompass all of Delaware County and vicinity.
West Chester University presents Popovich Comedy Pet Theatre
Circus performer Gregory Popovich and his entourage of world-class performing pets come to West Chester University’s Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall, 700 S. High St., West Chester, for one performance only at, 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10. Tickets start at $15 and are available at http://www.wcupatix.com.
Heralded as “a Cirque show with animals!” by USA Today, Popovich is an award-winning, family-oriented act that features stunning animal tricks, Popovich’s unique comedy and juggling, performances by European-style clowns, balancing acts, and 30 performing pets, with house cats and dogs all rescued from animal shelters, geese, white doves and parrots.
Gregory Popovich is a native of Kiev, Ukraine, and is an alumnus of the Great Moscow Circus and the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, a trained clown, and a world record-setting juggler. A professional circus performer since age 12, Popovich personally trains the dogs and cats that form the core cast of Comedy Pet Theater.
Comedy Pet Theater has performed in 25 countries and has been featured on television’s “The Tonight Show,” “Late Night with David Letterman,” “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,” “Animal Planet,” and “America’s Got Talent.” Comedy Pet Theater also has been featured in People magazine, The New York Times Magazine, the Los Angeles Times and The New Yorker, among others.
Now in its 15th season at the Planet Hollywood Resort/Casino in Las Vegas, Popovich Comedy Pet Theatre has over 1 million views on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.
Annual Valentine concert comes to Jamey’s House of Music Saturday night
Musician/songwriter Craig Bickhardt will present “Old, New, Borrowed and Blue — Songs for Lovers,” at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10 at Jamey’s House of Music, 32 S. Lansdowne Ave., Lansdowne. Joining Craig will be longtime friends Tommy Geddes on drums and percussion, and Larry Ahearn who will open the program.
The kitchen opens and happy hour begin at 6 p.m.
The annual Valentine’s concert is a much awaited event for lovers, young and old, to celebrate the joy and beauty of being in love.
The concert costs $25 in advance or $30 at the door. For tickets or information, email jamey@jameyshouseofmusic.com or visit www.jameyshouseofmusic.com.
Bickhardt is one of the most widely respected songwriters between Philadelphia and Nashville, with his songs recorded by many in the upper spheres of country music.
When Bickhardt steps onto a concert stage, he comes equipped with his acoustic guitar, a side musician or two, and something invisible. His music reflects a life lived as a rock band lead singer, a solo troubadour, a dedicated songwriter, a husband and father.
“I start a lot of songs because I feel conflicted,” he explains. “I may begin from a point of darkness, but I usually end up writing towards the light because, for me, hope is the thing worth singing about. The characters in the stories I sing aren’t heroic, they’re very ordinary. But they’re reaching for something beyond themselves, and I find nobility in that.”
Also crucial to Bickhardt’s art is his virtuosic guitar work, interweaving folk, blues, country and ragtime influences into a unique whole.
He says, “The guitar isn’t just an accompanying instrument for me. Sometimes it’s the front man and my voice is the accompanist.”
For more information on Bickhart, visit www.craigbickhardt.com.
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