Dozen Distinctive Destinations
West Chester, PA
Year Listed: 2006
Swingin' Summer Thursday Festival in downtown West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Credit: Rick Davis
Although West Chester, Pennsylvania, a former Quaker town incorporated in 1799, is only 1.8 square miles, it's teeming with 19th-century charm. Nearly 90 percent of the picture-perfect borough - with its lovely town center and famed brick sidewalks - is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Located in the heart of the Brandywine Valley near three Pennsylvania Revolutionary War historic sites - Brandywine, Paoli, and Valley Forge - West Chester today is a university and residential community with fine examples of Victorian and Greek Revival architecture, including the Chester County Courthouse, designed by Thomas U. Walter, one of the architects of the U.S. Capitol.
The borough's small size means that West Chester is a walkable community, home to dozens of outstanding restaurants, art galleries and retail shops. The History Center and Library, operated by the Chester County Historical Society, showcases fine antique furniture, porcelain, and pewter; the museum's History Lab features more than 40 hands-on exhibits designed to involve all ages in the fun and excitement of uncovering the mysteries of the past. At the American Helicopter Museum located at the Brandywine Regional Airport, visitors can examine vintage rotorcraft and exhibits tracing the history of rotary-wing flight. The West Chester Railroad, one of the nation's earliest railroads, now operates a scenic train between West Chester and the village of Glen Mills, Pa. Nearby, in southern Chester and western Delaware counties, there are numerous attractions to enjoy, including Longwood Gardens, the Brandywine River Museum and the Brandywine Battlefield.
