Chester Attractions

Founded in 1642, Chester is the oldest City in Pennsylvania. In the late 1670's William Penn was given a grant of land from Charles II of England to pay off a crown debt owed to Penn's father. William Penn landed here in 1682 and immediately changed the name of the Swedish settlement to Chester, after a place in Europe where one of his closest friends was born. A memorial stone marks the spot of Penn's landing.

Chester was prosperous as a manufacturing community with industries concentrating on machinery, metal manufacturing, locomotive and shipbuilding, textiles and oil refineries.

Three buildings are the principle sites of the town. The Courthouse (1724) is the oldest in Pennsylvania. Morton's Homestead (1655) and the Caleb Pusey Home (1683) are two mansions of note.