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I-75 provides easy access to West Chester with exits 19, 21 and 22.
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The Borough of West Chester is the county seat of Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia is 25 miles to the east and Wilmington 17 miles to the south. Valley Forge, the Brandywine Battlefield, Longwood Gardens, and other historical attractions are near West Chester.
The West Chester University of Pennsylvania is located here. Greek Revival architecture along High Street earned West Chester the nickname "Athens of the West".
In 1900, 9,524 people lived here; in 1910, 11,767; in 1920, 11,717; and in 1940, 13,289 lived here. In 2000, the US census recorded 17,861 residents.
History
The area was originally known as Turk's Head, after the Inn of the same name located in what is now the center of the borough.
West Chester is a town that has been the seat of government in Chester County since 1786, although it wasn't incorporated until 1799. West Chester was settled in the early 18th century, principally by members of the Society of Friends. 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, DC. West Chester today is part of the rapidly growing suburban complex surrounding Philadelphia.
Geography and Climate
West Chester is located at (39.958678, -75.605052). It is located 25 miles (40 km) west of Philadelphia and 17 miles (27 km) north of Wilmington, Delaware.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 4.8 km² (1.8 mi²), all land.
Annual high temperatures average between 38.1 and 85.7 °F, annual low temperatures average between 19.3 and 63.3 °F, with the record high being 105 °F, and record low...
