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Start Over Subject Local history Place Chester County (Pa.)

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Charlestown Historical Society subject files, circa 1900-2014 (bulk 1976-2014)

Extent:
16.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Charlestown Township in Chester County, Pennsylvania is named for Charles Pickering, who was granted the land from William Penn that today makes up a large portion of the Township. Charlestown was the site of the Valley Forge General Hospital during World War II. The Charlestown Historical Society subject files, circa 1900-2014 (bulk 1976-2014), contain materials that relate to Charlestown Township's history and residents; local historic districts, buildings, and organizations; other Chester County historic sites and organizations; and other topics of local interest. Although there are a small number of scattered primary source documents in the collection, materials are largely secondary-source, such as newspaper clippings, research notes, scholarly articles, photocopies of primary documents, and printed materials and ephemera. The collection is organized into three series: I. Subject files; II. Family files; and III. Scrapbooks.

Held at: Charlestown Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Charlestown Historical Society manuscripts collection, circa 1790-1990

Extent:
10.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Charlestown Township in Chester County, Pennsylvania is named for Charles Pickering, who was granted the land from William Penn that today makes up a large portion of the Township. Charlestown was the site of the Valley Forge General Hospital during World War II. The Charlestown Historical Society manuscripts collection, circa 1790-1990, includes photographs, slides, deeds, maps and atlases, family papers, business records, school and municipal records, scrapbooks and various other materials collected from local people and organizations from Charlestown Township and nearby areas.

Held at: Charlestown Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Downingtown Area Historical Society photograph collection, circa 1870-1991

Extent:
7.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Borough of Downingtown, Chester County, Pennsylvania is located halfway between Philadelphia and Lancaster. Known as Milltown in the 18th century since it was the location of the last mills on the edge of the unsettled western frontier, the village became known as Downingtown after the War of 1812; the borough was incorporated in 1859. Improved transportation, by stagecoach, railroad, and eventually highways, drew increasing population and investment to Downingtown over the 19th and 20th centuries. The Downingtown Area Historical Society photograph collection, circa 1870-1991, consists of photographs and postcards depicting the people, businesses, churches, organizations, and schools of the Downingtown area.

Held at: Downingtown Area Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Downingtown Area Historical Society ephemera collection, 1978-2014 (bulk) 1909-2014 (inclusive)

Extent:
3.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Borough of Downingtown, Chester County, Pennsylvania is located halfway between Philadelphia and Lancaster. Known as Milltown in the 18th century since it was the location of the last mills on the edge of the unsettled western frontier, the village became known as Downingtown after the War of 1812; the borough was incorporated in 1859. Improved transportation, by stagecoach, railroad, and eventually highways, drew increasing population and investment to Downingtown over the 19th and 20th centuries. The Downingtown Area Historical Society ephemera collection, 1909-2014 (bulk 1978-2014), documents the people, businesses, churches, organizations, and schools of the Downingtown area. Newsletters, pamphlets, maps, programs, copies and print-outs of research articles, and other types of ephemera are included.

Held at: Downingtown Area Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Historic Sugartown local manuscripts collection, 1790s-1980s

Extent:
2.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Sugartown, located in Malvern, Pennsylvania, was established in the early 1800s and became a vibrant crossroads that provided goods and services to the surrounding farming community. The Historic Sugartown local manuscripts collection, 1790s-1980s, consists of various materials such as letters, photographs, scrapbooks, and deeds that document some of Sugartown's early families and businesses. In particular, the Williams and Garrett families are well represented. Some items relating to the Hoopes family are also included.

Held at: Historic Sugartown, Inc. [Contact Us]

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Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area subject files, circa 1850-2013

Extent:
53.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Phoenixville, which was incorporated as a borough in 1849 in Chester County, Pennsylvania, evolved from an early 18th century village. The history of the town largely mirrored the history of the Phoenix Iron Company which became hugely successful in the mid-19th century with the advent of the railroad. The Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area subject files, circa 1850-2013, consist primarily of photocopied primary-source documents, newspaper clippings, and research articles that relate to numerous aspects of Phoenixville's history. It also contains a fair amount of original documents, principally pamphlets, small printed works, and ephemera, as well as some photographs, deeds, and manuscript pages. The collection is organized into series and subseries by subject; the largest series are Genealogy and Phoenix Iron Company / Phoenix Steel Company.

Held at: Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area [Contact Us]

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Kennett Township Historical Commission subject files, 1980-2014 (bulk) 1847-2014 (inclusive)

Extent:
10.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The first recorded mention of "Kennett Township" in Chester County, Pennsylvania is from 1705. An abolitionist stronghold, Kennett was popular with freedom-seekers escaping slavery prior to the Civil War due to the presence of progressive Quakers and a community of free blacks that was established as early as 1830. Later, the Kennett area became known for producing more than half of the mushrooms consumed in the United States. The Kennett Township Historical Commission subject files, 1847-2014 (bulk 1980-2014), focus on people, places, organizations, buildings, and events of Kennett Township. The files consist mainly of secondary-source materials, such as clippings, pamphlets/ephemera, and family genealogies, as well as a small amount of primary-source materials.

Held at: Kennett Township Historical Commission [Contact Us]

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Hannum family papers, circa 1850-1950

Extent:
2.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The Hannum family were members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) based in and around Kennett Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Charles Beverly Hannum (born 1861) was employed at times as a railroad agent and owner of a general store. One of his sons, Edward Darlington Hannum (1892-1977), worked variously as a postmaster, greenhouse manager, florist, and mushroom grower. The Hannum family papers, circa 1850-1950, consist of various materials from the Hannum, Cloud, and Darlington families, including photographs, scrapbooks, financial records, and other documents. Best represented are Charles B. Hannum and Edward D. Hannum.

Held at: Kennett Township Historical Commission [Contact Us]

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Kennett Township Historical Commission oral histories, 1987-2013 (inclusive)

Extent:
2.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The first recorded mention of "Kennett Township" in Chester County, Pennsylvania is from 1705. An abolitionist stronghold, Kennett was popular with freedom-seekers escaping slavery prior to the Civil War due to the presence of progressive Quakers and a community of free blacks that was established as early as 1830. Later, the Kennett area became known for producing more than half of the mushrooms consumed in the United States. The Kennett Township Historical Commission oral histories, 1987-2013, consist of cassette tape recordings of the recollections of about thirty members of the Kennett Township community.

Held at: Kennett Township Historical Commission [Contact Us]

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Nancy B. Schmitt scrapbooks and research on Malvern (Pa.) history, 1975-2010s

Extent:
8.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Nancy Blackstone Schmitt (1940-2013) was a Malvern resident, author, and community activist. She was the researcher and author of Malvern Treasures, the editor of A Century in Malvern, 1989, and the author of Malvern Items, 1870-2006. The Nancy B. Schmitt scrapbooks and research on Malvern (Pa.) history, 1975-2010s, consist of Nancy B. Schmitt's research for various books she wrote and edited on Malvern (Pa.), as well as several scrapbooks she compiled with clippings of newspaper articles she wrote for the Suburban Advertiser.

Held at: Malvern Historical Commission [Contact Us]

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Graystone Society collection on Coatesville history, 1880-2011 (inclusive)

Extent:
11.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Coatesville in Chester County, Pennsylvania is home to the longest operating steel mill in America, Lukens Steel Company. Development in the area was spurred by convenient transport routes offered by America's first turnpike, the Philadelphia to Lancaster Turnpike (now U.S. Route 30), and the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad, built in 1834. The Graystone Society, Inc. is today a not-for-profit educational institution dedicating to collecting, preserving, exhibiting, and interpreting iron and steel's history and its relationship to Coatesville, the region, and the nation. The Graystone Society collection on Coatesville history, 1880-2011, includes photographs, scrapbooks, minute books, clippings, school books, and various other family papers and organizational records relating to the people and organizations of Coatesville and the surrounding area. Of special interest are several 18th and early 19th century manuscript volumes relating to the Pennock and Lukens family. Some records...(see more)

Held at: National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum [Contact Us]

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New London Area Historical Society local history collection, 1970-2000 (bulk) 1711-2000 (inclusive)

Extent:
12.0 linear feet
Abstract:
New London Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania was chartered in 1723 and originally included the areas that now comprise adjacent Franklin Township and nearby London Britain Township. The New London Academy opened in 1743 and was responsible for educating a number of prominent colonial, revolutionary, and early American-era politicians, historians, clergy, and educators, including three signers of the Declaration of Independence. The New London Area Historical Society local history collection, 1711-2000 (bulk 1970-2000), consists of a mix of primary and secondary-source material relating to the history and residents of New London Township and nearby areas. Materials include manuscripts, property files, photographs, slides, newspaper clippings, subject files, and a small amount of records from various New London historical organizations.

Held at: New London Area Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Spring-Ford Area Historical Society subject files, circa 1880s-2012

Extent:
45.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Previously a sparsely-settled farming area, early development in Spring City (Chester County, Pennsylvania) and adjacent Royersford (Montgomery County, Pennsylvania) coincided with the opening of the Schuylkill Navigation Canal in 1824. Industry in the two towns continued to grow during the 19th century, especially with the construction of major rail lines through both. By the early 20th century, Spring City and Royersford were booming industrial towns with extensive stove factories, glass and bottle works, and embroidery, hosiery, and knitting mills, among other businesses. The Spring-Ford Area Historical Society subject files, circa 1880s-2012, document various topics of local interest. The collection mostly contains photocopies, with some original materials, such as newspaper clippings, photographs, research notes, narrative histories, cemetery records and indexes, obituaries, and family histories. Major categories include: burial records, church histories and sacramental...(see more)

Held at: Spring-Ford Area Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Horace D. Heistand glass plate negatives, 1920-1924 (inclusive)

Extent:
1.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Horace Dayton Heistand (1880-1933) was a photographer based out of Spring City, Chester County, Pennsylvania in the early 20th century. The Horace D. Heistand glass plate negatives, 1920-1924, consist of 128 glass plate negatives of Spring City and nearby Royersford, with a few shots of Phoenixville.

Held at: Spring-Ford Area Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society manuscripts collection, 1732-2010 (inclusive)

Extent:
11.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Both Tredyffrin and Easttown townships in the Upper Main Line area and eastern Chester County, Pennsylvania were settled by Welsh Quakers in 1682; they were incorporated in 1707 and 1704, respectively. Predominantly farming communities for most of their histories, commercial and residential development in both townships accelerated with the construction of the "Main Line" Pennsylvania Railroad Line in the 1830s and burgeoned after World War II. The Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society manuscripts collection, 1732-2010, includes various small accumulations of materials from local individuals, businesses, and organizations in the area of Tredyffrin and Easttown townships. Minute books, financial records, genealogy and local history research materials, school records, correspondence, and other family papers and organizational records are represented.

Held at: Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Tri-County Heritage Society local history collection, 1735-1990s

Extent:
75.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The region of southeastern Pennsylvania where southern Berks, northern Chester, and eastern Lancaster counties meet is known locally as the "Tri-County" area. The Tri-County area was first settled by Welsh immigrants, and later by German, Irish, and Scottish immigrants. While the area was largely agricultural, it also developed into an important early industrial corridor. In the early twenty-first century, the Tri-County area is a mix of farmland, industry, and suburban real estate development. Tri-County Heritage Society local history collection, 1735-1990s, consists of manuscripts and other original materials, photographs and audiovisual materials, secondary-source materials, printed matter and ephemera, and other documents relating to the history, residents, organizations, and businesses of Berks, Chester, and Lancaster counties. There is also some material relating to Delaware, Montgomery, and other nearby counties in Pennsylvania.

Held at: Tri-County Heritage Society [Contact Us]

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Uwchlan Township Historical Commission subject files, 1979-2014 (bulk) 1928-2014 (inclusive)

Extent:
30.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Originally inhabited by Leni-Lenape (Delaware) and Iroquoian-speaking Susquehanuck peoples, Uwchlan Township in Chester County, Pennsylvania was settled by Welsh Quakers in the early 18th century. The township was founded in 1712. It remained a largely rural farming community until a post-World War II suburbanization boom. The Uwchlan Township Historical Commission subject files, 1928-2014 (bulk 1979-2014), consist largely of secondary-source materials with some primary-source documents. The collection is arranged into five series, each relating to the local history of the township: Subjects, People, Schools, Government records, and Binders.

Held at: Uwchlan Township Historical Commission [Contact Us]

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West Nantmeal Township Historical Commission local history collection, 1759-2015 (inclusive)

Extent:
4.0 linear feet
Abstract:
In the first decades of the 18th century, emigrants from Radnorshire, Wales settled in the area that would become Nantmeal Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Nantmeal Township was divided into East and West Nantmeal townships in 1739, and Honey Brook Township and Wallace Township later separated from West Nantmeal Township in 1789 and 1852, respectively. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, West Nantmeal was home to farms, mills and forges, including the Isabella Furnace. As of 2015, West Nantmeal remains a largely rural community. The West Nantmeal Township Historical Commission local history collection, 1759-2015, consists of a mix of primary and secondary source materials relating to the history, residents, businesses, and other topics related to West Nantmeal Township. The materials include manuscripts, subject files, oral histories, CDs and DVDs, maps, and other materials.

Held at: West Nantmeal Township Historical Commission [Contact Us]

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West Nantmeal Township Historical Commission historic property research files, circa 1980-1982

Extent:
1.75 linear feet
Abstract:
Around the time of the United States bicentennial, the Chester County Commissioners formed a partnership with the Chester County Historical Society, the Brandywine Conservancy and many volunteers to organize a Chester County Historic Sites Survey. This survey, conducted between 1979 and 1982, included all of Chester County except for the Boroughs of West Chester and Downingtown (which initiated separate survey projects around this time). The West Nantmeal Township Historical Commission historic property research files, circa 1980-1982, consist of folders with photocopies of Chester County's Architectural Inventory Form (AIF) for buildings more than fifty years old in West Nantmeal Township at the time of the survey. Some files have photographs.

Held at: West Nantmeal Township Historical Commission [Contact Us]

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Stinson Markley family papers, circa 1850-1995

Extent:
20.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Stinson Markley (1898-1995) was a prominent farmer, conservationist, and historian in Charlestown Township, Pennsylvania. He also was a founding member of the Charlestown Historical Society. Stinson's wife, Kathryn Donahue Markley (1903-1981), was a well known educator and elementary school principal in the same region. The Stinson Markley family papers, circa 1850-1995, contain material relating to Stinson Markley's farming operations, personal life, and interests and hobbies; Kathryn Donahue Markley's personal and professional life; and others in the Markley, Donahue, and Kerk families. The collection includes numerous photographs and slides, personal papers, farming business records, scrapbooks, and printed materials.

Held at: Charlestown Historical Society [Contact Us]

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