Sugartown Barrens
Mining District
West Chester
Access
Public
Description
The Sugartown Barrens is a fragment of a larger and presumably once continuous barrens habitat known in older literature as the "serpentine ridge" north of West Chester, extending from East Goshen east-northeast across Willistown and just into Easttown Townships.
Mining
Edwards' or Gorman's quarry was worked on the site in the 1870s or 1880s, presumably to supply serpentine stone for local building.
Visiting
The Sugartown Barrens are part of the Natural Lands Willisbrook Preserve. Though not large, the grassland opening is well-maintained by periodic fire and rock outcrops form a refuge for some of the rare serpentine plants. It lies along the red trail immediately northeast of the soccer fields.