History

Chadds Walk was developed by Cotton States Properties during a booming developmental economy in the early 1980s. Additionally, Cotton States developed several popular nearby neighborhoods such as Chadds Lake, Chadds Ford, Princeton Lakes, Princeton Walk, and Hedgerow. Initially, many residents were transplants relocated to Atlanta by major employers like IBM and Delta, resulting in a diverse community with people from across the country.

Chadds Walk was planned to be the single location off Bishop Lake Rd. During the development process, the sale of farmland off Bishop Lake to Cotton Estates stalled, limiting the number of potential homes. The lack of potential homes now jeopardized Cotton States' ability to make Chadds Walk a viable swim and tennis community. Having also begun development on the Oak Lane location, Cotton States quickly pivoted to consolidate the two locations into a single neighborhood. The newly consolidated neighborhood of 194 homes justified two pools and three tennis courts and Chadds Walk’s ability to keep pace with amenities of other nearby neighborhoods.

Chadds Walk gets its name from Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, situated in the Brandywine Valley. This area, south of Philadelphia and north of Wilmington, Delaware, was home to three renowned American artists: N.C. Wyeth (1882-1945), Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009), and Jamie Wyeth (1946), who are grandfather, father, and son, respectively. N.C. Wyeth gained fame for his illustrations in novels like Kidnapped and Treasure Island. Wyeth Walk and other streets in the neighborhood are named after the Wyeth family, their artworks, or places near Chadds Ford.

The naming trend extends to streets like Newell Drive and Converse Court, named after N.C. Wyeth. Andrew Wyeth's notable artwork "Spindrift" inspired the street where the larger pool is located. Some street names have less obvious origins, such as Fairville Court named after a town in the Brandywine Valley and Scribner Court after a magazine/publisher N.C. Wyeth illustrated for. Bancroft Court is named after Joe Bancroft, who built a studio in Wilmington, Delaware, where N.C. Wyeth studied art. Haverhill Road is named after the Massachusetts town near N.C. Wyeth's birthplace. However, some names like Sprucebough and Lamplight remain mysterious.