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Start Over Place Chester County (Pa.) Year 1850 to 1899

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Radnor Hunt records, 1886-2016 (inclusive)

Extent:
53.1 linear feet
Abstract:
Founded in 1883 in Radnor, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, Radnor Hunt is the oldest continuously active fox hunt in the United States, as recognized by the Masters of Foxhounds Association of America (MFHA). The Hunt remained in Radnor until 1931, when encroaching development in the area led it to move about seven miles west to a new location near Malvern, Pennsylvania. While Radnor Hunt has remained at the Malvern location, it acquired additional hunting territory elsewhere in the region in the late 1990s as other hunts in the area disbanded. For more than 130 years, Radnor Hunt has been the focal point of an active sporting community carrying on not only its traditional activity of fox chasing, but also encouraging a great many other activities involving countryside pursuits, horses, hounds and good sportsmanship. Many prominent families and leading businessmen of the greater Philadelphia area have been among Radnor Hunt's members over the years. The Radnor Hunt records,...(see more)

Held at: Radnor Hunt Archives [Contact Us]

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Radnor Hunt Archives manuscripts collection, 1887-2016 (inclusive)

Extent:
3.2 linear feet
Abstract:
Founded in 1883 in Radnor, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, Radnor Hunt is the oldest continuously active fox hunt in the United States, as recognized by the Masters of Foxhounds Association of America (MFHA). The Hunt remained in Radnor until 1931, when encroaching development in the area led it to move about seven miles west to a new location near Malvern, Pennsylvania. While Radnor Hunt has remained at the Malvern location, it acquired additional hunting territory elsewhere in the region in the late 1990s as other hunts in the area disbanded. For more than 130 years, Radnor Hunt has been the focal point of an active sporting community carrying on not only its traditional activity of fox chasing, but also encouraging a great many other activities involving countryside pursuits, horses, hounds and good sportsmanship. Many prominent families and leading businessmen of the greater Philadelphia area have been among Radnor Hunt's members over the years. The Radnor Hunt Archives...(see more)

Held at: Radnor Hunt Archives [Contact Us]

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Malvern Historical Commission historic property research files, 1970-2015 (bulk) 1889-2015 (inclusive)

Extent:
6.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Around the time of the United States bicentennial, the Chester County (Pennsylvania) 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 Malvern Historical Commission historic property files, 1889-2015 (bulk 1970-2015), consist of research compiled on historic homes in Malvern, including deed research, maps, atlases, and historic property survey forms that were originally created as part of the Chester County Historic Sites Survey. The collection is arranged into three series: I. Subject files, II. Property files, and III. Oversized materials.

Held at: Malvern 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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Wallace Township local history collection, 1789-2014 (inclusive)

Extent:
30.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Although the first official survey of Wallace Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania took place in 1729, the Township was formally created in 1852 and has had multiple changes to its boundaries since. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, farms, mills, and forges dotted the landscape, but the late 19th century brought the railroad and considerable development of the area. A Pennsylvania Turnpike entrance was created near Wallace in 1950, and during the late 20th century, many residential subdivisions were built in the Township resulting in a substantial population increase. The Wallace Township Historical Commission local history collection, 1789-2014, consists of a mix of primary and secondary-source material relating to the history and residents of Wallace Township. Materials include scrapbooks, maps and blueprints, deeds, financial and administrative records, photographs, audio recordings, ephemera, correspondence, posters, and genealogy and other research materials.

Held at: Wallace Township Archives [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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Radnor Historical Society map, atlas, and blueprint collection, 1872-2014 (inclusive)

Extent:
7.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Radnor Township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania was founded in 1682, shortly after Welsh Quakers arrived on the lands previously home to the original inhabitants, the Lenni Lenape Indians. Development in the area increased when new transportation routes passed through the area, first the Lancaster Turnpike (the first toll road in America) in 1794, and then the Columbia (later Pennsylvania) Railroad in 1832. The township's population doubled between 1880 and 1890 with the birth of one of the country's first planned suburban developments, Wayne. Development and population boomed again in the wake of World War II and has continued to grow in the 21st century. The Radnor Historical Society map, atlas, and blueprint collection, 1872-2014, consists of several dozen atlases (including railroad maps, business atlases, property atlases, and other atlases); loose maps; and blueprints for private homes and for businesses. The geographic foci of the collection are Wayne, Radnor Township, the...(see more)

Held at: Radnor Historical Society [Contact Us]

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Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area photograph and film collection, circa 1880-2013

Extent:
36.5 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 photograph and film collection, circa 1880-2013, consists primarily of photographic prints, with some slides, picture postcards, film negatives, photograph albums, a few glass plate negatives, and 16mm film reels that document various aspects of Phoenixville's history.

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

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West Caln Township Historical Commission local history collection, 1990-2013 (bulk) 1851-2013 (inclusive)

Extent:
10.0 linear feet
Abstract:
West Caln Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, was officially recognized as a Township in 1744. The area developed due to its location along what was known as Kings Highway (now Route 340), the main road between Philadelphia and Lancaster. The West Caln Township Historical Commission local history collection, 1851-2013 (bulk 1990-2013), consists mostly of secondary-source materials such as newspaper clippings, photocopies, and research notes, with some original documents including maps, photographs, letters, oral histories, and deeds. The collection documents various West Caln Township individuals, families, organizations, and properties. It is organized based on document type and subject: "I. Subject files," "II. Obituaries," "III. Genealogy reference," "IV. Census records," "V. Deeds," "VI. Tax records," "VII. House histories," "VIII. Audiovisual materials," "IX. Photographs," "X. Maps," and "XI. Local manuscripts."

Held at: West Caln Township Historical Commission [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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