Paoli Battlefield Site and Parade Grounds
Also known as: Paoli Massacre Site
Why it's listed
Malvern's Parade Grounds and the adjoining battlefield field cover 62 acres of wooded ravine, plowed field, and manicured lawns. The battle took place here on the night of September 20-21, 1777, when a camp of American troops under Brigadier General Anthony Wayne was attacked and routed by British forces in an action later known as the Paoli Massacre. The American dead were buried along a fence row, and a burial mound now marks the site. In 1817 the Republican Artillerists of Chester County placed a marble monument on the grave. Later monuments include an 1877 granite obelisk marking the centennial, and World War I and World War II memorials. The Parade Grounds were set aside in 1822 as a patriotic property, and the monuments and ceremonies there reflect how successive generations of local residents have remembered veterans. The battlefield field remains in agricultural use, which preserves its wartime landscape.
Significance in brief: The site is significant under Criterion A for its association with the Paoli Massacre of September 20-21, 1777, a Revolutionary War battle in the Philadelphia Campaign. The Parade Grounds are also significant as a commemorative property, holding 19th and 20th century monuments and ceremonies honoring veterans from the Revolutionary War to World War II.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 97001248, listed October 23, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Warren, and Monument Aves., and Sugartown Rd., Malvern |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | October 23, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97001248 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1777-1947 |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals/Colonial Revival; No style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The battlefield field has remained in agricultural use since the battle; the Parade Grounds are maintained as a memorial and community park. |
| Acreage | 62.2 |
| Coordinates | 40.02528, -75.52207 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 97001248.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q86838659
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.