West Chester, Pennsylvania

{{Main|History of West Chester, Pennsylvania}}

The area was originally known as Turk's Head, named after the inn of the same name located in what is now the center of the borough.{{cite web |url=http://www.thebrandywine.com/WestChester/index.html |title=West Chester, Pennsylvania |publisher=Thebrandywine.com |date=July 26, 2001 |access-date=August 12, 2012}}{{efn|At 1 N. High st. A historical marker stands there today}} West Chester has been the seat of government in Chester County since 1786 when the seat was moved from nearby Chester in what is now Delaware County. The borough was incorporated in 1799.{{cite web |url=http://www.wcjim.com/history.htm |title=West Chester Pennsylvania Local History | first= Jim | last= Jones |access-date=2009-12-24 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091208022346/http://wcjim.com/history.htm |archive-date=2009-12-08 }}

In the heart of town is its courthouse, a classical revival building designed in the 1840s by Thomas U. Walter, one of the architects for the Capitol in Washington, D.C.{{cite web |url=http://dsf.chesco.org/chesco/cwp/view.asp?a=1492&q=617914 |title= Courthouse History |publisher=Chester County Courthouse|date=January 19, 2011 |access-date=August 12, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205235527/http://dsf.chesco.org/chesco/cwp/view.asp?A=1492&Q=617914 |archive-date=February 5, 2012 }} In the 18th century West Chester was a center of clockmaking. Irish revolutionary Theobald Wolfe Tone briefly lived in West Chester during his exile.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}} In the late 19th century the Hoopes, Bro. and Darlington company became a major wheelworks, first for wagons and later automobiles.{{cite book|title=West Chester, past and present: centennial souvenir with celebration proceedings|year=1899|publisher=Daily Local News, West Chester, PA|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_2UsVAAAAYAAJ/page/n130 125]|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_2UsVAAAAYAAJ}}{{cite news|title=Keeping the wheels turning in West Chester|url=http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2008/03/27/past%20stories/19955280.txt|access-date=February 14, 2012|work=Daily Local News|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723142954/http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2008/03/27/past%20stories/19955280.txt|archive-date=July 23, 2013}} In the early 20th century, an important industry was the Sharples cream separator company.{{cite web |url=http://dairyantiques.com/Cream_Separators_2.html |title=Cream Separators Page 2 |publisher=Dairyantiques.com |access-date=August 12, 2012 |archive-date=October 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004035100/http://dairyantiques.com/Cream_Separators_2.html |url-status=dead }} In the late 20th century, Commodore International, one of the pioneers of home computers, giving its headquarters as West Chester, was located approximately a mile northeast of the borough.{{Citation needed|date=January 2017}}

The West Chester Downtown Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. Other listed buildings are the Bank of Chester County, Buckwalter Building, Butler House, Chester County Courthouse, William Everhart Buildings, Farmers and Mechanics Building, First Presbyterian Church of West Chester, New Century Clubhouse, Joseph Rothrock House, Sharples Homestead, Sharples Separator Works, Warner Theater, West Chester Boarding School for Boys, and components of West Chester State College Quadrangle Historic District.{{NRISref|version=2010a}}

File:Gay Street WB past Church Street West Chester.jpeg

West Goshen Township borders West Chester to the north, south, and east, while East Bradford Township borders West Chester to the west. The borough straddles the Brandywine Creek and Chester Creek watersheds.{{cite web|title=Watersheds of Chester County|url=http://www.chesco.org/DocumentCenter/View/8467|publisher=Chester County|access-date=November 4, 2014}} It is located {{convert|25|mi|km|0}} west of Philadelphia and {{convert|17|mi|km|0}} north of Wilmington, Delaware.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of {{convert|1.8|sqmi|km2|0}}, all land.

As with much of southeastern Pennsylvania east of the Appalachian Mountains, West Chester lies in the transition zone between the humid continental (Köppen: Dfa) and humid subtropical (Köppen: Cfa) climate zones, with generally more characteristics of the former than the latter.[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=464963&cityname=West+Chester%2C+Pennsylvania%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for West Chester, Pennsylvania] Summers are hot and humid and winters are cold but variable. Annual high temperatures average between {{convert|39.0|F|C}} and {{convert|85.4|F|C}}, annual low temperatures average between {{convert|22.2|F|C}} and {{convert|64.4|F|C}}, with the record high being {{convert|105|F|C}}, and record low being {{convert|-16|F|C}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=464963&refer=&units=us |title=West Chester, Pennsylvania Travel Weather Averages |publisher=Weatherbase |access-date=August 12, 2012}}

Annual precipitation averages {{convert|46.7|in|cm}}, and annual snowfall averages {{convert|27.7|in|cm}}.

{{Weather box

|location = West Chester, Pennsylvania

|single line = Yes

|Jan high F = 39.0

|Feb high F = 40.5

|Mar high F = 50.8

|Apr high F = 62.1

|May high F = 72.7

|Jun high F = 80.9

|Jul high F = 85.4

|Aug high F = 83.5

|Sep high F = 77.1

|Oct high F = 65.9

|Nov high F = 54.1

|Dec high F = 42.2

|Jan mean F = 30.7

|Feb mean F = 31.6

|Mar mean F = 40.9

|Apr mean F = 51.2

|May mean F = 61.5

|Jun mean F = 70.2

|Jul mean F = 74.9

|Aug mean F = 73.2

|Sep mean F = 66.4

|Oct mean F = 55.1

|Nov mean F = 44.6

|Dec mean F = 33.8

|Jan low F = 22.2

|Feb low F = 22.6

|Mar low F = 30.8

|Apr low F = 40.2

|May low F = 50.3

|Jun low F = 59.5

|Jul low F = 64.4

|Aug low F = 62.9

|Sep low F = 55.7

|Oct low F = 44.3

|Nov low F = 35.0

|Dec low F = 25.5

|Jan precipitation inch = 3.5

|Feb precipitation inch = 3.3

|Mar precipitation inch = 3.8

|Apr precipitation inch = 3.7

|May precipitation inch = 4

|Jun precipitation inch = 4.3

|Jul precipitation inch = 4.5

|Aug precipitation inch = 4.6

|Sep precipitation inch = 4.1

|Oct precipitation inch = 3.6

|Nov precipitation inch = 3.6

|Dec precipitation inch = 3.7

|Jan snow inch=7

|Feb snow inch=8.6

|Mar snow inch=4.6

|Apr snow inch=0.9

|May snow inch=0.0

|Jun snow inch=0.0

|Jul snow inch=0.0

|Aug snow inch=0.0

|Sep snow inch=0.0

|Oct snow inch=0.1

|Nov snow inch=1.2

|Dec snow inch=5.3

|year snow inch=27.7

|source 1 = Weatherbase

|date=October 2013

}}

{{US Census population

|1800= 374

|1810= 471

|1820= 552

|1830= 1258

|1840= 2152

|1850= 3172

|1860= 4757

|1870= 5630

|1880= 7046

|1890= 8028

|1900= 9524

|1910= 11767

|1920= 11717

|1930= 12325

|1940= 13289

|1950= 15168

|1960= 15705

|1970= 19301

|1980= 17435

|1990= 18041

|2000= 17861

|2010= 18461

|2020= 18671

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2016}}

}}

File:Chester County Courthouse.jpg

At the 2010 census, the borough was 72.1% non-Hispanic White, 12.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.4% Asian, and 2.4% was of two or more races. About 13.4% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.{{cite news|url= https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/profile/PA|title=Philadelphia gains, Pittsburgh shrinks in population |first=Larry|date=10 March 2011|last=Copeland|work=USA Today}}

As of the census of 2000, 17,861 people, 6,265 households, and 2,662 families resided in the borough. The population density was {{convert|9,703.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The 6,541 housing units averaged 3,553.5 per square mile (1,372.6/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 75.44% White, 17.08% Black, 3.64% from other races, 1.46% Asian, 0.31% Native American, 0.07% Pacific Islander, and 2.00% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 8.94%.{{cite web |title=U.S. Census website |url=https://www.census.gov |access-date=2008-01-31 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}

Of the 6,265 households, 19.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 26.8% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 57.5% were not families. About 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 13.4% under the age of 18, 37.7% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 13.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.7 males.

The median income for a household in the borough from 2018 to 2022 was $71,875.{{Cite web |title=QuickFacts - West Chester borough, Pennsylvania |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/westchesterboroughpennsylvania/PST045223}} The per capita income for the borough was $41,443. 21% of the population lives below the poverty line.

Corporate headquarters include:

• Commodore Business Machines, the operational headquarters of Commodore International (now defunct)
• Communications Test Design, Inc. (CTDI), engineering, repair, and logistics for telecommunications equipment{{cite news | url=http://coatesvilletimes.com/?p=6577 | title=Chamber touts benefits of social capital | work=Coatsville Timers | date=July 18, 2013 | access-date=December 4, 2013 | author=McGann, Mike}}
• Mars Drinks, maker of Flavia Beverage Systems
• VWR International (lab and scientific supplies distributor)
• The operational headquarters of medical company Synthes
• Economy.com, part of Moody's Analytics

QVC has its headquarters and television studios in West Goshen Township,"[http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/app.html/params.file.|cp|st_directions,html/left.html.file.|nav|navhqdirections,html/walk.html.|nav|navhqvisit,html Directions to QVC Studio Park] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611144216/http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/app.html/params.file.%7Ccp%7Cst_directions,html/left.html.file.%7Cnav%7Cnavhqdirections,html/walk.html.%7Cnav%7Cnavhqvisit,html |date=2010-06-11 }}." QVC. Retrieved on August 11, 2010."[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?geo_id=06000US4202983080&_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=saff&_lang=en&_sse=on West Goshen township, Chester County, Pennsylvania] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608180853/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?geo_id=06000US4202983080&_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=saff&_lang=en&_sse=on |date=2011-06-08 }}." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on August 11, 2010. near West Chester. It is located in the same buildings that were once the corporate headquarters of Commodore International. Electronics Boutique, when it existed as an independent company, had its headquarters in West Goshen Township,Moran, Sarah E. "[http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2005/11/01/business/15489326.txt County jobless rate worsens] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229234839/http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2005/11/01/business/15489326.txt |date=2012-02-29 }}." Daily Local News. Tuesday November 1, 2005. Retrieved on August 11, 2010."[https://web.archive.org/web/20040611031120/http://www.ebholdings.com/eb_contacts/default.asp Contact]." Electronic Boutique. June 11, 2004. Retrieved on August 11, 2010. "931 South Matlack St. West Chester, PA 19382." in proximity to West Chester."[https://web.archive.org/web/20010609162702/http://www.ebholdings.com/corcc.asp Corporate Office Positions]." Electronic Boutique. June 9, 2001. Retrieved on August 11, 2010.

{{anchor|Bradford_Plaza}}

Among the major shopping centers in the area is Bradford Plaza, a {{convert|22|acre|ha|adj=on}} property with a {{convert|161000|sqft|sqm|adj=on}} center which sold in 2014 to New York Life for $35.7 million.{{cite news|author1=Kostelni, Natalie|title=West Chester shopping center sells for $35.7M|url=http://www.bizjournals.comphiladelphia/blog/real-estate/2014/06/west-chester-shopping-center-sells-for-35-7.html|work=Philadelphia Business Journal|date=2014-06-20}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

The West Chester Public Library has provided library services to area residents since 1872. It currently has a collection of 50,000 items and receives 110,000 visits every year.{{cite web|title=Short History|url=http://wcpubliclibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/WCPL-Short-History.pdf|publisher=West Chester Public Library|access-date=November 25, 2014|archive-date=October 5, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141005085318/http://wcpubliclibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/WCPL-Short-History.pdf|url-status=dead}} The Francis Harvey Green Library on the university campus has additional collections.{{cite web|title=University Libraries|url=https://www.wcupa.edu/_services/STU/ramsEyeView/library.aspx|publisher=West Chester University|access-date=February 12, 2021}}

The Daily Local News, headquartered in West Chester, covers Chester County events.{{cite web|title=Daily Local News|url=http://www.dailylocal.com/|publisher=Daily Local News|access-date=November 25, 2014}} WCHE (1520 AM) broadcasts from downtown West Chester and is a local commercial radio station that provides news and entertainment to Chester County. The Quad is the student-run newspaper of West Chester University. Published since 1932, it covers not only campus events, but also regional and national news.{{cite web|title=The Quad: About|url=http://www.wcuquad.com/about/#sthash.URQqF17u.dpbs|publisher=The Quad|access-date=November 25, 2014}} Radio station WCUR (91.7 FM) broadcasts from the borough and is managed by university students.{{cite web|title=91.7 WCUR The Curve|url=http://www.wcur.org/|publisher=WCUR|access-date=November 25, 2014}}

The flag of West Chester was officially adopted by Borough Council and debuted in early 2019, after a contest sponsored by local business The Fence Authority.{{Cite web |last=Green |first=Leigh |date=9 September 2018 |title=Fence Authority Partners with Borough in Creating Official Flag for Downtown West Chester |url=https://www.west-chester.com/DocumentCenter/View/8005/Press-Release_-West-Chester-Best--Flag-Forward-Contest |website=west-chester.com}} The winning design was created by Julie Allen. The six gold ribbons on the flag represent the six original streets of West Chester: Market, Gay, High, Chestnut, Walnut, and Church. The flag is in the official colors of the borough, Pantone Blue 7455C and Pantone Gold 123C.{{Cite web |last=Johnstone |first=Malcolm |date=2019-02-28 |title=The West Chester Flag: creating a local symbol |url=https://www.downtownwestchester.com/news/the-west-chester-flag-creating-a-local-symbol/ |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=Downtown West Chester PA |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=20 March 2019 |title=Ordinance-2019-04--Flag--West-Chester-Borough |url=https://west-chester.com/DocumentCenter/View/9438/Ordinance-2019-04--Flag--West-Chester-Borough |access-date=31 July 2024 |website=west-chester.com}}

{{stack|File:2022-09-05 09 21 13 View west along U.S. Route 322 Business (Hannum Avenue) just west of Wayne Street in West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania.jpg}}

As of 2011, there were {{convert|33.82|mi}} of public roads in West Chester, of which {{convert|5.36|mi}} were maintained by Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and {{convert|28.46|mi}} were maintained by the borough.{{cite web|url=https://gis.penndot.gov/BPR_pdf_files/Maps/Type5/15414.pdf|title=West Chester Borough map|publisher=PennDOT|access-date=March 12, 2023}}

US 202 and US 322 are the major highways serving the area, though both bypass West Chester Borough on the limited-access West Chester Bypass. US 202 heads northeast to King of Prussia and south to Wilmington, Delaware while US 322 heads northwest to Downingtown and southeast to Chester. US 322 Business still follows the original alignment of US 322 and part of the original alignment of US 202 through West Chester along Hannum Avenue, Chestnut and Market streets, and South High Street.

The main east–west road to West Chester is West Chester Pike, which begins in Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, just outside Philadelphia, and is part of Pennsylvania Route 3 (PA 3). The West Chester Pike originally existed as a private turnpike connecting Philadelphia and West Chester between 1850 and 1918, when it became a public road.{{cite book|last=Edgcumbe|first=Stephen J. |title=West Chester Pike |series=Images of America|location=Charleston, SC|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|page=8|year=2012|isbn=9780738592442 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OtnCsFgQNg4C&q=west+chester+pike+1848%5C&pg=PA8|access-date=December 15, 2014}} In West Chester, PA 3 follows Market Street eastbound and Gay Street westbound. The main north–south road in West Chester is High Street. To the north of town, the road is known as Pottstown Pike, which connects to PA 100 near Exton (PA 100 formerly ran through town). To the south of town, the road is known as Wilmington-West Chester Pike. Other state routes serving West Chester include PA 162 and PA 842, which head west towards Unionville, and PA 52, which heads southwest towards Kennett Square.{{cite map|publisher=ADC Map|title=Chester County, Pennsylvania |year=2006|edition=17th|scale= 1"=2000'|isbn=0-87530-778-7}}

File:SEPTA West Chester Transportation Center.jpg

West Chester is home to the West Chester Transportation Center, which serves as a parking garage for the Chester County Justice Center and a bus terminal, which is located on the lower level of the facility. Three of SEPTA's Suburban Division bus routes serve West Chester. The Route 92 bus connects West Chester to the King of Prussia Transit Center, the Route 104 bus runs between West Chester University and the 69th Street Transportation Center, mostly following West Chester Pike, and the Route 135 bus connects West Chester to Exton, Downingtown, and Coatesville.{{cite map|publisher=Chester County Planning Commission|title=Chester County Ride Guide|url=http://www.chescorideguide.org/Map.cfm|access-date=October 15, 2021}} The Route 104 bus replaced a trolley service that connected West Chester to Philadelphia along the West Chester Pike between 1898 and the 1950s. West Chester is also served by the Transportation Management Association of Chester County's SCCOOT, which provides service to Kennett Square and Oxford.

Until September 1986, West Chester was served by SEPTA's Media/Wawa Line commuter rail line, then known as the Media/West Chester Line. Service on the line was discontinued because of poor track conditions west of Elwyn station. At the time, SEPTA had limited funds for the necessary repairs and offered Chester County the option of either improving the rail line or expanding parking availability at the nearby Exton station on SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale Line. The county opted for the latter, and service on the line was cut back to Elwyn (service was re-extended to Wawa Station in August 2022). The rail line into West Chester is used by the West Chester Railroad, a heritage railroad.{{cite web|url=https://www.wcrailroad.com/|title=West Chester Railroad|access-date=December 5, 2022}}

• Many of the skits on the MTV television series Jackass, and later Jackass: The Movie, were filmed in and around the borough, primarily those featuring Bam Margera and the CKY crew. The spin-off shows Viva La Bam and Bam's Unholy Union were filmed almost entirely in the area, as was the movie Haggard and the CKY videos.
• A documentary, Our Lady Of Victory, later released as The Mighty Macs, filmed many scenes in and around West Chester, including Jimmy Johns, and the Armory Building.
• Marley & Me, starring Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson, filmed scenes in West Chester in 2008.{{cite web|title=Marley & Me Filming in West Chester|url=http://www.chestercountymoms.com/2008/05/marley-me-filming-in-west-chester.html|work=chestercountymoms.com|access-date=October 16, 2010|archive-date=December 25, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101225155041/http://www.chestercountymoms.com/2008/05/marley-me-filming-in-west-chester.html|url-status=dead}}
• In Funny or Die's first feature film iSteve, a parody of the life of Steve Jobs, one of the villains is Commodore International, based in West Chester. This fact is prominently displayed several times in the film.

{{See also|Chester County Courthouse (Pennsylvania)}}The borough is governed by the town council form of government. Led by the Borough Manager, there are seven council members, each representing one of the seven voting wards. The council controls all departments except the Police Department (the Mayor directs Police Department activities through the Chief of Police). The mayor and council members are directly elected by borough voters.

On January 3, 2022, Lillian DeBaptiste (D), daughter of former mayor Clifford DeBaptiste (R), was sworn in as mayor.{{Cite web|date=2022-01-03|title=DeBaptiste takes over as new West Chester mayor|url=https://www.dailylocal.com/2022/01/03/debaptiste-takes-over-as-new-west-chester-mayor|access-date=2022-01-10|website=Daily Local|language=en-US}}

{{As of|2021|11|5|df=US|lc=y}}:

The West Chester Area School District, an independent entity, manages the area's public school system. All of the secondary schools operated by the district serve sections of West Chester borough: they are three high schools (Henderson High School, West Chester East High School, Rustin High School) and three middle schools (E.N. Peirce Middle School, J.R. Fugett Middle School, G.A. Stetson Middle School).{{cite web|url=https://utility.arcgisonline.com/arcgis/rest/directories/arcgisoutput/Utilities/PrintingTools_GPServer/x_____xnc8MobAxP9aimjKP4PJmvA..x_____x_ags_262c5a36-a69e-11ee-85d0-0afa9f6e927d.pdf|title=Attendance/District Boundary Maps|publisher=West Chester Area School District|access-date=2023-12-29}} - [https://www.wcasd.net/domain/1056 Accessed from here], PDF capture with zoom on West Chester.
"[https://www.wcasd.net/cms/lib/PA02203541/Centricity/Domain/1056/Secondary_Boundaries_SK8C.pdf School Boundary Adjustment Draft SK8C - Current Boundaries with Zones of Change] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926111019/https://www.wcasd.net/cms/lib/PA02203541/Centricity/Domain/1056/Secondary_Boundaries_SK8C.pdf |date=2018-09-26 }}" (Secondary). West Chester Area School District. Retrieved on September 26, 2018.

Elementary schools serving sections of West Chester borough include: East Bradford, East Goshen, Hillsdale, Greystone, Sarah Starkweather, and Westtown-Thornbury.

{{cite web|url=https://utility.arcgisonline.com/arcgis/rest/directories/arcgisoutput/Utilities/PrintingTools_GPServer/x_____xnc8MobAxP9aimjKP4PJmvA..x_____x_ags_262c5a36-a69e-11ee-85d0-0afa9f6e927d.pdf|title=Attendance/District Boundary Maps|publisher=West Chester Area School District|access-date=2023-12-29}} - [https://www.wcasd.net/domain/1056 Accessed from here], PDF capture with zoom on West Chester Previously the following also included sections in West Chester borough: Exton, Fern Hill, Glen Acres, Mary C. Howse, and Penn Wood. Under some zoning proposals {{circa|2018}}, Exton, Glen Acres, Howse, and Penn Wood would no longer serve portions of West Chester borough."[https://www.wcasd.net/cms/lib/PA02203541/Centricity/Domain/1056/Elementary_Boundaries_SK8C.pdf School Boundary Adjustment Draft SK8C - Current Boundaries with Zones of Change] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926111353/https://www.wcasd.net/cms/lib/PA02203541/Centricity/Domain/1056/Elementary_Boundaries_SK8C.pdf |date=2018-09-26 }}" (Elementary). West Chester Area School District. Retrieved on September 26, 2018.

File:Darlington Seminary (History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, 1881).png was a nonsectarian girls' school]]

File:St. Agnes Parochial School (West Chester, Pennsylvania) 4.jpg

St. Agnes School, a K-8 school of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia, is in the borough limits. It opened in 1871. {{As of|2020}} its enrollment is over 300.{{cite web|url=https://www.saintagnesschoolwc.org/about/|title=About|publisher=St. Agnes School|access-date=2020-05-03}}

There are other Catholic K–8 schools with West Chester postal addresses:

• SS. Peter and Paul School (East Goshen Township)"[https://www.westgoshen.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/39/2016/10/WCACOG-Map.pdf West Chester Area Council of Governments Map] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926122620/https://www.westgoshen.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/39/2016/10/WCACOG-Map.pdf |date=2018-09-26 }}." On the website of West Goshen Township. Retrieved on September 26, 2018. Includes maps of various townships around West Chester borough.{{cite web|url=https://sspeterandpaulrc.org/school/|title=School|publisher=SS. Peter and Paul Parish|access-date=2020-04-23|quote=Saints Peter & Paul School 1327 Boot Road West Chester, PA 19380}} - Compare with the township maps. was established in September 2001, with planning for the school beginning in 1997.{{cite web|url=https://sspeterandpaulrc.org/school/about-us/history/|title=History|publisher=SS. Peter and Paul Parish|access-date=2020-04-23}}
• SS. Simon and Jude School (Westtown Township){{cite web|url=https://school.simonandjude.org/|title=Home|publisher=SS. Simon and Jude School|access-date=2020-04-23|quote=Saints Simon and Jude School 6 Cavanaugh Court West Chester, PA 19382}} - Compare with the township map
• St. Maximilian Kolbe School (Westtown Township){{cite web|url=https://school.stmax.org/|title=Home|publisher=St. Maximilian Kolbe School|access-date=2020-04-23|quote= School Address St. Maximilian Kolbe School 300 Daly Drive West Chester, PA 19382}} - Compare with the township map

Much of West Chester University's North Campus is located in the borough, south of the commercial and retail center."[https://www.wcupa.edu/campusmap/documents/WCUNorthCampusMap.pdf North Campus Map]." West Chester University. Retrieved on October 9, 2018. See: "[https://www.westgoshen.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/39/2016/10/WCACOG-Map.pdf West Chester Area Council of Governments Map] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926122620/https://www.westgoshen.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/39/2016/10/WCACOG-Map.pdf |date=2018-09-26 }}."

Delaware County Community College is the community college system for Chester County.{{cite web|url=https://www.dccc.edu/about/locations/all-locations/chester-county-locations|title=Chester County|publisher=Delaware County Community College|access-date=2023-12-29}}

West Chester Public Library is the community library.{{cite web|url=https://www.wcpubliclibrary.org/|title=Home|publisher=West Chester Public Library|accessdate=2022-10-19|quote=415 N. Church Street West Chester, Pennsylvania 19380}} The library had its roots in a subscription library founded in 1815 by William Darlington and David Townsend and dissolved in 1831. Incorporated in 1872, the library rented rooms to house its collections until March 1888, when the library opened at its current location at 415 North Church Street, on land donated by Hannah M. Darlington, who also donated the Tiffany-style stained-glass windows. The architect was T. Roney Williamson.{{Cite web |title=History – West Chester Public Library |url=https://6d8de413-e321-4da7-a659-cb356a2e6d8f.usrfiles.com/ugd/6d8de4_4644a98cac064ce5a3a5068c8c25f15e.pdf |access-date=2025-01-03 |website=West Chester Public Library}} The library became permanently free and open to the public in 1905, coming under the authority of the borough council and school board. The library built an extension for a children's library in 1916. The West Chester Garden Club landscaped the grounds and erected a wall around the courtyard in 1934.{{Cite book |last=Moore |first=Grace Brinton |title=History of the West Chester Library |date=1939 |publisher=[publisher not identified] |location=West Chester, PA |pages=1–36 |language=en-US}}

West Chester has a variety of places to visit, including restaurants, shops, parks, and historical sites. Some popular tourist attractions include the Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center, the Chester County History Center, the American Helicopter Museum, the West Chester Railroad, and QVC studio tours.{{Cite web |title=THE 15 BEST Things to Do in West Chester - 2023 (with Photos) |url=https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g53951-Activities-West_Chester_Pennsylvania.html |access-date=2023-03-20 |website=Tripadvisor |language=en}} People can also explore Downtown West Chester, which features a selection of dining and retail options along with historical buildings.{{Cite web |title=Historic Towns |url=https://www.visitpa.com/region/philadelphia-countryside/west-chester |access-date=2023-03-20 |website=VisitPA |language=en}}

West Chester is home to West Chester United SC, a lower level professional soccer club that currently competes in both the National Premier Soccer League and USL League Two. Home matches are played at Kildare's Field. The organization also fields a side in the United Soccer League of Pennsylvania, a fully-amateur state league.

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• [http://www.west-chester.com/ Official borough website]
• [http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/states/pennsylvania/counties/chester_county/ West Chester County news] from The Philadelphia Inquirer

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Category:West Chester, Pennsylvania

Category:1799 establishments in Pennsylvania

Category:Boroughs in Chester County, Pennsylvania

Category:County seats in Pennsylvania

Category:Populated places established in 1760