This is the first major biography of the free Black abolitionist William Still, who coordinated the Eastern Line of the Underground Railroad and was a pillar of the Railroad as a whole. Based in Philadelphia and well-connected to Chester County abolitionists, Still built a reputation as a courageous leader, writer, philanthropist, and guide for fugitive […]
Author Eugene L. Meyer tells the story of Osborne Perry Anderson, a native of Chester County, who joined with abolitionist John Brown in an ill-fated raid on Harpers Ferry in October 1859 to seize its federal arsenal, incite a slave rebellion, and end slavery. Anderson was one of five African Americans soldiers in Brown's raiding […]
In 1900 at the height of his fame, illustrator Howard Pyle founded the Howard Pyle School of Art in Wilmington, Delaware. His bold purpose was to train promising young artists to produce uniquely American work that would echo the nation’s spirit and challenge Europe’s artistic supremacy. Towards that end, Pyle championed imagination over technique and […]
Women make up half the population, yet their stories have often been neglected, excluded, or marginalized in public memory. West Chester, long the center of battles for equality and civil rights, has been home to several trailblazing women who left an indelible mark on the history of law, abolition, suffrage, education, politics and science. This […]
Professor Daniel K. Richter will explore the interactions and agreements between William Penn and the Native people of Pennsylvania.
Join the Chester County archivists as they discuss how to effectively use county government records in your genealogical research.
Author Susan Freinkel discusses the tragic history of the nearly-extinct American Chestnut tree.
This Documentary Launch and Fundraising Gala is sold out, but the film will be shown as part of the West Chester Film Festival on Saturday, April 29 at 2:00PM at the Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center, across the street from the History Center. Tickets may be purchased online or at the door ($13 or $10 […]
To highlight Conservation Week 2023, Mark Bockrath, paintings conservator, will discuss examples from the CCHC museum collection that he's worked on, and the challenges and rewards involved with art conservation. Ellen Endslow, CCHC's Curator, will join him to share the thought process behind how CCHC chooses which paintings to conserve first, and the detailed work […]
Join us for this virtual presentation exploring the surprisingly contentious history of Mother's Day and how it ties into Chester County history.
Ida Tarbell, a native Pennsylvanian, lived during the era in which she was known as a “muckraker.” In our time she would have been known as an investigative reporter, with the celebrity of Woodward and Bernstein. Tarbell was one of the most powerful women of her time in the U.S.: admired, feared, hated. When her […]
Learn about the talented and courageous women that called West Chester home with this 1.5 hour walking tour!
225 N. High Street, West Chester, PA 19380 | 610-692-4800
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