Women make up half of 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. […]
Explore and discuss the Chester County Archive's award-winning Chester County Property Atlas with those who created it! In 2020, the Chester County Archives staff unveiled their award-winning 1777 Chester County Property Atlas. This project highlights property owners, roads, and notable sites of interests (mills, taverns, places of worship, etc.) in existence in September 1777 during […]
CCHC will be closed April 1 and 2 while hosting the regional National History Day contest!
CCHC will be closed April 1 and 2 while hosting the regional National History Day contest!
Wednesday, April 13, 2022 7:00pm-8:00pm via Zoom On July 28, 1797, an elderly Lenape woman stood before the newly appointed almsman of Pennsylvania’s Chester County and delivered a brief account of her life. In a sad irony, Hannah Freeman was establishing her residency—a claim that paved the way for her removal to the poorhouse. Ultimately, […]
The book "For the Union" tells the story of how Quaker abolition, a hanging, a slave riot, and a newspaper in West Chester helped launch Abraham Lincoln's presidential campaign in 1860. The first biography of the presidential candidate was published at what is now known as the Lincoln Building in downtown West Chester. It ultimately […]
Learn how visible storage was planned and implemented to feature the museum collection. More than 800 artifacts from the museum collection are viewable by visitors every day in the new visible storage gallery. Learn how artifacts were selected, how they were installed, and how their stories connect them to Chester County. This project was completed […]
This lecture explores some of the great gardens and estates of the Main Line from the 1870s to 1930s. It looks at the changing garden styles and the work of noteworthy landscape architects such as the Olmsted Brothers, Ellen Biddle Shipman, Beatrix Farrand and Thomas Sears, and explores the outdoor world of estates like Dolobran […]
Thomas E. Ricks offers a revelatory new book about the founding fathers, examining their educations and, in particular, their devotion to the ancient Greek and Roman classics—and how that influence would shape their ideals and the new American nation. Thomas Ricks considers a few questions: What kind of nation do now have? Is it what […]
Sarah Garrett Hewes (1819-1853) did not follow the expected life path for a mid-19th century woman as she traveled around the greater Philadelphia area working as a daguerreotypist prior to setting up a studio in Philadelphia with a male business partner in 1851. Before establishing the business in Philadelphia, she ran a studio in West […]
CCHC is extremely proud to partner with the Brandywine Conservancy on this amazing new hybrid event! Brandywine welcomes award-winning author and reporter Bruce E. Mowday for a lecture on his most recent book, "Lafayette at Brandywine: The Making of an American Hero." Members of CCHC will receive a discount on in-person tickets, and the event […]
Churches have always been central to the African American experience. Locating information on African American congregations, however, can be extremely frustrating due to ineffective record keeping. But fortunately, there are a number of resources that researchers can use to uncover the names and activities of ministers, deacons, department leaders, and regular members. When coupled with […]
225 N. High Street, West Chester, PA 19380 | 610-692-4800
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