West Chester: Pennsylvania in Images

Steeped in history, the borough of West Chester was established in 1799 as one of the three original counties in Pennsylvania. Serving as the county seat, West Chester is also home to West Chester University of Pennsylvania, formerly known as West Chester State Normal School. In 1999, the town will celebrate its bicentennial, commemorating two hundred years of memories essential to Pennsylvania's esteemed history.

Much of West Chester's rich history is captured in a collection of over two hundred images, generously lent by local residents, tracing the borough's past from the early days of photography up until 1920. These images, many of which have never been seen in print before, range from authentic photograph postcards of the community to photographs taken by Gilbert Cope between 1875 and 1910. Cope, the co-author of The History of Chester County (1881), has contributed greatly to the preservation of West Chester's heritage.

The visual history of West Chester also includes old broadsides, including the oldest existing Chester County broadside. Other historical artifacts showcased in the collection include the first newspaper printed in Chester County in 1794 and a sketch of one of the town's oldest homes. Together, these illustrations offer a fascinating glimpse into the past of one of Pennsylvania's most historic towns.

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