Established in 1799 in one of the three original counties in Pennsylvania, the borough of West Chester is steeped in history. West Chester serves as the county seat, and is the home of West Chester University of Pennsylvania, once known as West Chester State Normal School. To relive historical milestones about local communities, there are at least these three books.
West Chester, Pennsylvania (Images of America Series)
This non-fiction, paperback can be purchased from Barnes & Noble. It's 128 pages for $21.99.
A collection of 200-plus images, which were generously lent by West Chester residents, comprise this journey back into the borough's past, covering the years from the dawn of photography up to 1920. Many of the images within the book have never before appeared in print, and they include authentic photograph postcards of the community.
First Families of Chester County, Pennsylvania
This is another non-fiction, history paperback with 198 pages at Abe Books for $19.08.
Chester County was officially opened for settlement in 1682. Using a wide variety of sources, this volume of first families provides data concerning when and where they settled, as well as information on early churches and meeting places.
Memoir of Hannah Gibbons, Late of West Chester, Pennsylvania
This scarce antiquarian hardcover book is a facsimile reprint of the original. This special book is $41.23 from Book Depository. She was one of few women recorded.
