Place: Chester County (Pa.) - Philadelphia Area Archives Search Results

Extent:: 5.25 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 collection of obituaries and wedding announcements, 1983-2005, consists of newspaper clippings from The Phoenix, mostly obituaries with some coverage of other life events such as marriage announcements, birthdays, and profiles. The Historical Society tapered off clipping and filing in the late 1990s, but continues to maintain a database index of obituaries published after that time.

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

Extent:: 1.67 linear feet
Abstract:: Phoenixville has the largest registered historic district in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The Chester County Historic Preservation Office historic resource surveys for Phoenixville, 1985, consists of survey forms documenting properties in Phoenixville with site location, date of construction, condition, description, photographs, and other pertinent information about each property.

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

Extent:: 28.0 linear feet
Abstract:: In the 17th century, Welsh immigrants settled in the area that would later be known as Malvern, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Originally part of Willistown Township as a village called West Chester Intersection, the village was renamed Malvern in 1873 and incorporated in 1889 as the Borough of Malvern, formally separating it from Willistown Township. The Malvern Historical Commission subject files, 1985-2015, consist of topical files on the people, places, organizations, buildings, and events of Malvern Borough. The files consist mainly of secondary-source materials, such as newspaper clippings, printed matter, ephemera, and family genealogies, as well as a small amount of primary-source materials. The files are organized into six series: I. Business files, II. Citizens, III. Borough files, IV. Malvern files, V. General History, and VI. Malvern Area and Chester County.

Held at: Malvern Historical Commission [Contact Us]

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]

Extent:: 1.75 linear feet
Abstract:: A friend of the Wharton Esherick family, Susan R. Hinkel began writing a biography about Wharton Esherick, the influential sculptor and craftsman, although she never finished the book. The Susan Hinkel research files on Wharton Esherick, 1989-2000, consist of materials that Hinkel compiled by while preparing the unfinished biography. The files are organized by subject and include chapter drafts, research-related correspondence, clippings and ephemera, and various other secondary-source materials. Of special interest are transcripts of oral histories that Hinkel conducted for the book, in particular interviews with Ruth Esherick and Mansfield "Bob" Bascom.

Held at: Wharton Esherick Museum [Contact Us]

Extent:: 7.0 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 property research files, 1994-2011, consist of two surveys of historic sites in Kennett Township completed in 1994-1996 and 2009-2011, covering approximately 350 properties.

Held at: Kennett Township Historical Commission [Contact Us]

Extent:: 0.83 linear feet
Abstract:: The Paoli Battlefield Preservation Fund is a non-profit corporation that was established in 1996 to preserve the historic battlefield in present-day Malvern, Chester County, Pennsylvania and to prevent the site from suburban development. The Paoli Battlefield Preservation Fund records, 1996-2004, consist of donation accounts, meeting minutes, agendas, brochures, fundraising materials, and newspaper clippings.

Held at: Malvern Historical Commission [Contact Us]

Extent:: 50.0 gb
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 digital collection, circa 2000-2012, consists of over 30,000 digital images of various documents, particularly photographs and postcards, relating to Spring City and Royersford, Pennsylvania local history. Some, but not all, of the original items are owned by the Spring-Ford Area Historical Society.

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

Search