Preserving History, Inspiring the Future

The Paoli Memorial Association (PMA), in partnership with the Borough of Malvern and the Paoli Battlefield Preservation Fund (PBPF), is launching a $500,000 capital campaign to establish the Paoli-Malvern Heritage Center. 2026 will mark 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Our goal is to complete the Heritage Center to join the America250 celebration and the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Paoli in 2027.

The Heritage Center will preserve and interpret one of the most important Revolutionary War sites, while linking it to the broader regional Heritage Trail and Information Network. Its goal is to expand education access, deepen historical understanding, and strengthen community identity and economy.

The capital campaign will make it possible to:

  • Construct a new Heritage Center on the PMA Grounds, to include
    • The relocation of the original 1817 Monument to preserve and protect the second-oldest Revolutionary War memorial
    • Informational kiosk and displays with relevant Philadelphia Campaign history
    • Accessible parking and accessible restroom
  • Create accessible walkways to the memorials, gravesite, and onto the Borough-owned Battlefield
  • Replicate the 1817 Monument with materials that can better withstand the elements
  • Install interpretive signage with QR codes to more resources, providing a more immersive educational experience

Circa 1998, then-borough manager Pat McGuigan helped spearhead a campaign called Pennies for Paoli, asking donors of all ages to save and donate their pennies for the PBPF for the purchase and preservation of the Paoli Battlefield. $1.5 million was raised, saving the battlefield from becoming a housing development and allowing visitors to experience the battle on land nearly untouched for 250 years.

In 2025, the PMA is reviving this program, calling it Pennies for Paoli 2.0 (or Pennies or PayPal for Paoli). Shops and businesses and the admin floor on McGuigan Hall in Malvern Borough have white boxes with red and blue lettering requesting donations of coins, paper money, or checks made out to the Paoli Memorial Association. You may mail funds to: Paoli Memorial Association; PO Box 38 c/o National Bank of Malvern; Malvern, PA 19355.
Or you may donate via PayPal here: