Begin main content area county courthouses county county seat zip code. Walter designed the dome of the united states capitol. North courthouse road library tween parent book club. Chester was one of seven counties created in 1785 from the old camden judicial district.
Year month day event 1800 0 0 adams county, pennsylvania formed from york county. In 1916, plans were made to demolish the 1749 courthouse, and replace it with a larger and more modern building. The chester county historical society also jointly administers the. West chester six walking tours book by bruce mowday. It would be anchored by the first courthouse and a smattering of businesses that.
Book discussion groups chesterfield county library, va. Construction of the first courthouse soon begins just north of the current. It was built in 1724 and is the oldest courthouse still standing in the united states. Chester county pennsylvania genealogy pennsylvania genealogy. History of chester county, pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches by futhey, john smith, 18201888. In 1728, residents living in the backwoods of chester county complained that thieves, vagabonds, and ill people had infested the rural areas of what is now lancaster county and petitioned for the creation of a new county.
Today chester is the site of five nationally registered historic places. A post office has been in operation at chester since 1823. The present courthouse in the town of chester was the third in town and was built in 1852. The county justice center is separate from, and two blocks west of, the historic chester county courthouse, designed by thomas u.
It was built in the early 2000s, and opened in 2007. Now on view at cchs is a case exhibit that explores the role chester countians played in world war i. Tscheschter kaundi, colloquially known as chesco, is a county in the u. The chester county courthouse, located in the city of chester, is the center of the judicial system for chester county. Chester county, pa official website official website. County of chester 3 west market street west chester, pa 19380 6103446000 contact us. Chester county tax books 18901894 are kept at the county courthouse. Chester county historical society the history center 225 n. Chester county is in the 6th judicial circuit, which includes chester, lancaster, and fairfield counties. Chester county, pennsylvania genealogy familysearch wiki.
Internet archive bookreader history of chester county, pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches. They were the first group of african americans for the new national army. Would you associate this place or activity with history. A full description of the great tornado in chester county, pa.
The 1st chester county archives was in the basement of the mosteller annex of the courthouse, where the records storage area was separated from the public. Our current recorder of deeds is chris pielli, esq. Chester county the chester county historical society. A political history of the courts of chester county. Over the years i have borrowed a copy from the chester co library to explore at my leisure at home. Chester who fought in the war of 1812 and was an early postmaster in jackson madison county, he was also a federal marshal in west tennessee.
Other courthouses are used by the three statewide appellate courts the supreme. Explore over 300 years of history through rare documents, photographs, and newspapers in our research library, seven galleries filled with engaging exhibitions, and special school and public. A history of the county of chester british history online. Chester county was created from parts of neighboring hardeman, henderson, mcnairy, and madison counties in 1882, making it the last county formed in tennessee. Chester county is named for robert i chester, who was a state legislator for the state of tennessee. Chester county visits the landscape and community that has endeared generations of residents. Records search chester county, pa official website. The chester county recorder of deeds office has a long history of faithfully serving the residents of this county since 1688. List of state and county courthouses in pennsylvania. Chester county historical societysouth carolina chester. Chester county took its place among the digital elite this week, when it was presented with a digital counties survey award that recognizes the most innovative digital counties in the nation. The first court in the area was held at walkers, now known as lewis turnout in 1776. Family history and genealogy resources by surname chester county, pennsylvania biographies. Elected in november 2011 and sworn into office in january 2012, rick became the youngest elected county official in pennsylvania.
The county is located in the northcentral area of the state. Included is first historical record of those living in what would later become west chester. Book lovers in west chester can breathe a sigh of relief, as the recently closed chester county book company in the west goshen shopping center has quickly gained a worthy successor, writes brian mccullough for the daily local news. The chester 1724 courthouse and new book baltimore pike in concordville looking east toward media about 1935. Chester county courthouse, west chester, pennsylvania. This is the first of two volumes providing an authoritative and detailed treatment of chesters history, meticulously researched from the original sources.
In the heart of historic west chester, pa, the chester county historical society cchs preserves and shares the remarkable story of the areas past. Lancaster history lancaster county, pa official website. Extracted from the book history of chester county by j. To oversee perpetual care of the chester courthouse and academy. General history and topography edited by c p lewis and a t thacker. If you would like email notification ifwhen a document goes on our record that contains your name, click on the fraud guard tab at the top of the page and sign up eagle fraud guard. Chester waterside station of the philadelphia electric company. The second, third and fourth courthouses were built in chester. Where west chester now exists was part of the hunting and fishing grounds for many of. This decision was met with opposition from some county residents and resulted in the first preservation struggle in the county.
Its a unique, and often overlooked historic gem, not to mention a pretty cool neighbor. History of the chester county archives chester county, pa. The recorder of deeds eagle web data is current proofed as of. It collects books to be loaned from shelves placed in businesses.
County courthouse book, compiled by elizabeth petty bentley, genealogical publishing company, baltimore, md, 1990. It was built in 1724 and is the oldest public building still standing in the united. Chester county historical society closes to the public. Chester county, pennsylvania genealogy familysearch. History of chester county, pennsylvania pa by ancestor. The historic 1917 courthouse sits where the first 1749 colonial courthouse was once located.
A political history of the courts of chester county woodward, wayne c. My name is dennis partridge and i am the county coordinator. This group of draftees left west chester on october 29 th 1917 for training at camp meade, maryland. Walking tour of west chesters downtown historical landmarks. The chester courthouse is a historic courthouse in chester, pennsylvania, the former county seat for chester county, pennsylvania, one of the three counties in the province of pennsylvania laid out by william penn. Public education in the community of chester is provided by the eastern local. History of chester county, pennsylvania, with genealogical. Registration is required and begins one month before each session. If you have information about this county you would like to place online, then please contact me using the contact form on this website. Successor of chester county book company now open for. Chester county was one of the three original pennsylvania counties created by william penn in 1682.
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. Recorder of deeds chester county, pa official website. It collects books to be loaned from shelves placed in. The first court met at the home of john walker in lewis in 1785. This is a list of former and current nonfederal courthouses in the commonwealth of pennsylvania. Chester county clerk to council, karen lee, po box 580, chester, sc 29706. Walter also designed the dome of the united states capitol.
Their photograph was taken in front of the chester county courthouse. Situated in the rolling hills of south carolinas eastern piedmont, chester is bounded on the east by the catawba river and on the. The old meigs county courthouse still stands in chester and is listed on the national register of historic places. Chester county, south carolina genealogy genealogy. Chester county ranks 10th among the us 3,000plus counties. The former stores longtime employee and brotherinlaw of the previous owner took up the mantle by opening a new book store in the same location. History of chester county, pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches j. The history of chester county, the fastestdeveloping county in pennsylvania, is revealed by the uses of the land through the years, from the agriculture and industries of the nineteenth century to the specialty agriculture and service industries of today. The building became the home of the chester county historical society in 1938.
The chester county courthouse is a historic courthouse building located in the county seat of west chester, chester county, pennsylvania. Chester county pennsylvania genealogy is part of the pennsylvania history and genealogy project. William penn arrived aboard the welcome in 1682, from when we may date the beginnings of chester county. Chester was platted in about 1822 as the original seat of meigs county. Meets at the north courthouse road library the first monday of the month from 6. Chester county, tennessee genealogy genealogy familysearch. The building is located on the north side of the courthouse on landscaped grounds in the center of chester and contains some county offices.
Judges are elected by the general assembly and serve sixyear terms. As of the 2010 census, the population was 498,886, increasing by 5. Chester county courthouse pennsylvania wikivisually. Mission of the chester shade historical association. The handybook for genealogists, united states of america, 8th edition, published by the everton publishers, inc. Chester county courthouse west chester, pennsylvania. And while many other faiths eventually were part of chester county, its origins are firmly based in the.
Chris pielli was elected chester county recorder of deeds in november 2019 and was sworn into office in january 2020. Roney williamson and constructed from indiana limestone, was added in 1893. Pennsylvania history an illustrated history of the commonwealth of pennsylvania, political and military, from its earliest settlement to the present time harrisburg, pa. Each of the 67 counties in the commonwealth has a city designated as the county seat where the county government resides, including a county courthouse for the court of general jurisdiction, the court of common pleas. The history center includes a museum, library, photo archives, and museum shop. Chester county book company, west chester, pennsylvania. Chester county courthouse 2020 all you need to know. This is a free service to deter real estate fraud in chester county. Birth, death and marriage records from various unofficial sources, 18041838 chester county pennsylvania state archives. Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1915.