Chesterfield Town Site Opening set for Memorial Day Weekend

Allyne Betancourt, Chesterfield Resident, for the Enterprise

I met with 84-year-old Mr. Gary Hatch, who was born in Chesterfield in 1940, and asked him, “Why open the township on Memorial Day weekend?”

Mr. Hatch’s clear local drawl belies his age, “Well, back in 1980 when Chesterfield officially became a historical site, someone suggested it would be nice to have a memorial celebration. Bancroft has the 24th of July, Soda has the 4th of July, Grace has the fair, and we didn’t want to go to any of those days. So, we thought, hey, it’s a memorial (of the original town), how about Memorial Day. The memorial is to honor and remember the people who lived in Chesterfield, the community they developed, and the history behind the town.”

I queried further, “What happened to the town? “

Mr. Hatch continued, “Chesterfield was a thriving community. All those buildings that are there now, some that aren’t there anymore, all the shacks and everything, were all full. As modernization, tractors, cars, and equipment came about, well, the way of the horse disappeared. People went into town to get jobs, which began the decline of Chesterfield.  We wanted to make this a historical site and in 1980, the Chesterfield Foundation was created. The Historical Foundation is a 501(c)3, dedicated to the preservation and continued restoration of the old buildings in the area.”

The current brick store is not the original store in Chesterfield. Through the restoration process it was discovered that there may have been four or five previous mercantile stores over the course of its 100-year history at various locations in the town. 

Only one was open at a time.

Chesterfield was established in 1880 and became a nationally registered foundation in 1980. We celebrate 100 years of a successful community and township with the Memorial Day opening. These opening events have been ongoing since 1980.

People travel from far and wide annually to celebrate this town site opening. The history of Chesterfield continues as a town site but began as home and heart to hundreds of people who are ancestors, or those who still live in Chesterfield. A visit to the beautiful township is a walk into the past that keeps us tethered to the beauty of this valley, the people we know and love, and the people we open our doors to. Chesterfield speaks volumes about life in the past that created community and family ties. We hope to see you there!

Full schedule details can be found at https://www.historicchesterfield.org

Saturday, May 25, 2024, 8:00 p.m. Old Time Dance with live music at the Chesterfield Amusement Hall. 

Monday, May 27, 2024, 10:15 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Memorial Day Celebration.  

Events include: 

5K Run 9:00 a.m.; 

Flag Ceremony 10:00 a.m.;

Brick Store opens 10:15 a.m.; 

Bake Sale & Memories Scan Booth opens 10:15 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.; 

Live Auction 1:30 p.m.; 

Lunch – Hamburgers and Hotdogs, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. 

Wagon rides and tours of cabins are available through the day. 

Volunteers provide tours and open brick store hours.  All proceeds go directly to the Foundation to continue the work of restoration and preservation. 

 Historic Chesterfield Town Site needs a full-sized pickup truck to use for three (3) months to pull our Courtesy Tour Wagon.  Used is okay if it is dependable. Donation is preferred, but rental is acceptable.  Please contact Randy Ruger at 208-317-5307 for more information.