Speech of Thomas Bradford to the Present-Day Citizens of Bradford Woods

Greetings ! My friends, neighbors. ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls — or rather, descendants of my dream,

I am honored to be among you on this fine summer evening ! 

I am Thomas Bradford, the man whose name this borough bears — though in truth, it is your brilliant stewardship that has given Bradford Woods its soul.

If you would indulge me,  to take a step back in time, Nearly two centuries ago, I stood upon these very hills, gazing out at the ancient forests and open meadows, and I saw not just land — but possibility. 

I was making good money back then, printing books and newspapers in Philadelphia.  So, I splurged ! 

In 1800, I bought 256 acres for just $8.40. Some said I paid too much.

Three cents an acre.

But I wasn’t just buying selling land — I was planting a legacy.

What I envisioned was not merely a settlement, but a sanctuary — a place where families could breathe freely, where children could wander and play safely,

where  neighbors could greet one another by name.  

A Place where the summer breeze filters therough the trees delivering clean air to growing families.

A place where the woods were not obstacles to be cleared, but companions to be cherished.

Today, as I look upon your tree-lined streets, your walking paths, your parks, and your tireless efforts to preserve the green canopy that once stretched unbroken across these hills — I see that vision not only preserved, but alive and thriving.

You have faced the pressures of modern life: development, traffic, the tug of city life just beyond your borders. Yet you have chosen preservation. You’ve held fast to the spirit of balance — between progress and peace, between shelter and sanctuary.

You have made this community not just a place on a map, but a living testament to values we once only hoped to build: neighborliness, nature, and noble purpose.

So I thank you — not just for remembering me, but for honoring the land.

For teaching your children that beauty is worth protecting, and that a village, no matter how small, can make a mighty difference when it guards its heart.

Bradford Woods may have begun with a transaction — but it has endured through your dedication.

Keep walking the wooded path. Keep watching the skies. Keep being the kind of neighbors who make a founder proud.

May the woods always guide you home.