Historical Markers in
Chester County, Pennsylvania

10 South 3rd Street 4 South 3rd Street 8 South 3rd Street 97th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers Memorial American Legion Post 482 War Memorial Amos House An Engineer's Garden Ann Preston, M.D. Anthony Wayne Anthony Wayne's Headquarters, 1777-78 Atglen Borough Hall Bank of Chester County Barnard Street Public School - Denney Tag Company Barns-Brinton House Battle of Brandywine Battlefield Site Map Bayard Rustin Birthplace of Isaac Sharpless Brandywine Battlefield A Commonwealth Treasure Brandywine Iron Works - Early 1800s Brandywine Mansion Cabin of Indian Hannah Camp Elder Civil War Paroled P.O.W. Camp Camp Life Captain Benjamin Bartholomew Charles Lukens Huston House Charles Lukens Huston House Site Chester County Chester County Courthouse Chester County World War II Veterans Memorial Chester Springs Chester Springs Colonel Thomas Bull Columbus Penn Evans David Townsend House Devon Horse Show Disabled Veterans of Chester County Pennsylvania Memorial Down by the Water’s Edge Downingtown Log House Dr. Charlotte Moore Sitterly Duffy’s Cut Mass Grave Edward Hunter Homestead Eusebius Barnard Everhart Grove First Defense Line Frederick Douglass G. Raymond Rettew Garden of Honor Gen. Anthony Wayne General Lafayette General Wayne’s Encampment Generals and Cattle Raids Gen's Lafayette and Pulaski George Washington’s Coffee Bean Tree Gilbert Cope Good News Productions Goshen Baptist Church Goshenville Blacksmith and Wheelwright Shops Graceanna Lewis Graystone - Abram Francis Huston House Great Minquas Path Here Rests Indian Hannah Historic American Structure Historic Sugartown Historic Waynesborough Historic West Chester, Pennsylvania Building Honor Court to Brigadier General Lachlan McIntosh Hopewell Bell Tower Hopewell Historic District Horace Pippin Horse-Shoe Trail Hosanna Meeting House Ida Ella Ruth Jones In Memory of Those Who Fell In Memory of Unknown Soldiers Indian Hannah Birthplace Indian Rock Isaac & Dinah Mendenhall Isaac Dutton Barnard Italian Water Garden Jefferis Ford John G. Parke John H. Ware 3rd, Commerce Center Joseph T. Rothrock Kennett Square Knox’s Quarters Lenni-Lenape Indian Burial Ground Lightfoot Mill Lincoln University Lukens Executive Office Building Lynching of Zachariah Walker Malvern Area World War I Memorial Malvern Memorial Parade Malvern World War II Memorial Marquis De LaFayette Marshall Square Park Massacre Farm / 19th Century House Milltown/Hickman Plank House Nathan Simms Officer’s Quarters Okehocking Land Grant Old Glory Old Main Arch Memorial On This Native Stone Osborne's Hill Oxford Veterans Memorial Paoli Paoli Massacre Monument Paoli Veterans Monument Parker Kidnapping & Rescue Peirce's Park Peirce's Woods Pennhurst State School & Hospital Pennsylvania Columns Pennsylvania Division Peter Bezellon Philadelphia & Lancaster Turnpike Road Phoenix Iron & Steel Company Phoenix Iron Company Phoenixville Vietnam War Memorial Phoenixville War Memorial Pierre S. du Pont, Fountain Visionary Poor’s Brigade Quarters of Major General William Alexander Rear of the Camp Samuel Barber Scouter's Grove Simon Barnard Row Site of First School House in West Chester Site of Paoli Massacre Site of the First Schoolhouse Site of the Paoli Massacre Site of the Stone Chimney Picket South Coventry Township WW II Memorial Springton Manor Star of the West, Tent No. Six State Fencibles of Philadelphia Campsite Sunset Park Symbols of Steel Sculpture Garden Terracina The Baptist Church in the Great Valley The Battle of the Clouds The Carl R. Fretz Memorial to Community Service The Dime Savings Bank The First National Bank of West Chester The Friends School at Birmingham Meeting House The Great Trail The Griffen Cannon and Memorial The Home and Arboretum of Humphry Marshall The Land on Which the Battle of Paoli was Fought The Lukens Mill - Early 1900s The Lukens Mill - Late 1800s The Manor of Steyning The Modern Mill The Paoli Battlefield The Paoli Memorial Association The Peirce - du Pont House This Wall Thomas B. Read Thomas Buchanan Read Thomas McKean Thomas S. Butler House To Honor the Maker of First American Flag To Marylanders Who Served Here Trimbleville Historic District Trimble's Ford Turk’s Head Tavern Upper Forge Site Valley Forge General Hospital Valley Forge Hut Village of Valley Forge Village of Valley Forge Virginia We Hold in Honor and Sacred Memory Welkinweir West Chester West Chester Academy Wharton Esherick Whittier C. Atkinson William Darlington William Darlington M.D. Woman's Rights Convention of 1852 "We bury’d our Dead next day in the field of Battle, All kill’d by the sword and Bayonet." "…The most dreadful scene I have ever beheld." “A Dreadful scene of havock” “Remember Paoli!” “Remember Paoli!”
Pennsylvania was once home to a giant freshwater mussel called the Pennsylvania pigtoe, which is now considered endangered.
Pennsylvania random facts
Chester County, Pennsylvania, has a rich and fascinating history that traces back to the early days of European settlement in America. The county was originally inhabited by the Lenni Lenape Native American tribe. In the early 17th century, Dutch, Swedish, and English explorers made their way to the area. The first permanent European settlement was established by Dutch traders in 1623 at New Sweden, located near present-day Chester.

In 1681, William Penn was granted a charter to establish a colony that would later become Pennsylvania. Penn actively encouraged settlement in the area, and Chester County quickly grew as English Quakers and other European immigrants flocked to the region. Agriculture played a prominent role in the county's early development, with farmers cultivating wheat, barley, and corn.

The American Revolutionary War had a significant impact on Chester County, as the area witnessed several crucial battles. The battle of Brandywine, fought in 1777, saw General George Washington's troops clash with British forces. Although the Americans lost the battle, it marked a turning point in the war and led to their eventual victory.

In the 19th century, Chester County experienced significant industrial growth. The rise of the railroad brought increased commerce, as factories and mills sprouted up throughout the county. The county's population grew, and towns such as West Chester, Phoenixville, and Coatesville thrived. Today, Chester County is known for its historical landmarks, charming small towns, and beautiful countryside. It continues to attract visitors and residents alike with its unique blend of history, natural beauty, and modern amenities.

This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Chester County, Pennsylvania.

  • 1682 - Chester County is established by William Penn as one of the original counties of Pennsylvania.
  • 1683 - The first county courthouse is built in Chester County in the town of Chester.
  • 1713 - The Great Valley Presbyterian Church, one of the oldest Presbyterian churches in the United States, is founded in Chester County.
  • 1777 - During the American Revolutionary War, the Battle of Brandywine takes place in Chester County, resulting in a British victory.
  • 1786 - The village of West Chester is officially incorporated as a borough in Chester County.
  • 1791 - The construction of the first bridge over the Schuylkill River, known as the Parker Ford Bridge, is completed in Chester County.
  • 1863 - During the American Civil War, Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry passes through Chester County during the Gettysburg Campaign.
  • 1950 - The population of Chester County surpasses 100,000, marking a significant increase from its early settlement days.
  • 1963 - Valley Forge National Historical Park is established in Chester County, preserving the site of the Continental Army's winter encampment during the Revolutionary War.
  • 2000 - Chester County becomes one of the fastest-growing counties in Pennsylvania, with a population exceeding 400,000.
  • 2018 - Chester County continues to thrive and develop as a diverse and vibrant community in southeastern Pennsylvania.