True tales of murder, mischief and misadventure, pulled from our archives. From the horrors of the Chester County Prison, to the cold-blooded killers tried at the courthouse, to the insidious devastation of contagious disease, West Chester's streets and alleys witnessed two hundred years of spine-chilling history. The historians and educators at the Chester County History […]
Many of West Chester's leading citizens are buried at Oaklands Cemetery (founded 1854), but there are many stories that remain untold. Join the education staff of the Chester County History Center to learn true tales of the soldiers, statesmen, lawyers, doctors, musicians, athletes, artists and more that found their final rest at this garden cemetery […]
Researching the history of your property can be a rewarding experience. Getting started, however, can seem overwhelming. It requires an understanding of the basic methods of historical research. Knowing where resources can be found and how to interpret them is a fundamental part of the process. Join Chester County, PA archivists for a presentation about […]
'Tis the season--for creating wonderful crafts to give as gifts or hang in a special place at home! CCHC staff will guide visitors through the history and meaning of historic crafts (like tin punching) and children can make their own unique treasure to keep for themselves, or gift to a loved one. Tickets include all-day […]
Get in a festive mood with this 80-90 minute walking tour, brought to you by the historians and educators at Chester County History Center. Your costumed guides will take you to West Chester's early churches, department stores and cultural sites, learning about what the winter holidays meant to the people of West Chester from the […]
Get in a festive mood with this 80-90 minute walking tour, brought to you by the historians and educators at Chester County History Center. Your costumed guides will take you to West Chester's early churches, department stores and cultural sites, learning about what the winter holidays meant to the people of West Chester from the […]
Throughout time, clothing has revealed a great deal about who we are. In the early 1800s, clothing in Chester County represented individual identity, personal choice, and place within the community. People here had access to global trends through Philadelphia and other regional ports. They accepted or rejected fashion styles based on what they could afford, […]
Get in a festive mood with this 80-90 minute walking tour, brought to you by the historians and educators at Chester County History Center. Your costumed guides will take you to West Chester's early churches, department stores and cultural sites, learning about what the winter holidays meant to the people of West Chester from the […]
Born in Philadelphia, Thomas U. Walter was internationally renowned in the mid 1800s, rising to the position of architect of the U.S. Capitol from 1851 to 1865, during which time the current dome was added. While his work spanned the globe, he designed a number of buildings in West Chester during his career, including the […]
Dr. Cheryl Renée Gooch, author of Hinsonville’s Heroes: Black Civil War Soldiers of Chester County, Pennsylvania (The History Press), traces the stories of 18 residents of Hinsonville, a free black community in southeast Pennsylvania, who fought for the Union Army during the American Civil War. The former 19th century village of Hinsonville near Lincoln University […]
Take an in-depth look at the oldest record preserved at the Chester County Archives and learn about its significance over 340 years. On February 14, 1683, local residents assembled at the House of Defense for their regular court session. When the court clerk, Thomas Revell, opened the court docket, however, he did something a little […]
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 […]
225 N. High Street, West Chester, PA 19380 | 610-692-4800
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