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Westtown's
Heritage
The
following summary of Westtown's history is based upon "A
History of Westtown Township" by Arthur James, published in
1973.
Westtown
was established in 1685 - the second township in Chester County.
Westtown was established three years after the formation of
Chester County by William Penn. The borders of Westtown have not
changed since its founding. The first settlers were English
Quakers, who came to Westtown to establish dairy farms and
orchards.
In 1777,
the Battle of Brandywine occurred southwest of Westtown between
British and Colonial soldiers. Part of the British Army passed
through Westtown on its way to the battle.
The Enoch
Williams Farm in Westtown was use dot hold Union soldiers who
had been captured by Confederate soldiers at the Battle of
Gettysburg and then "paroled" by the Confederates on
the condition that the Union forces make sure that they would
not fight again. Many eventually returned to the Army.
From
1730, two serpentine stone quarries operated in the southwestern
corner of Westtown. These quarries provided most of the stone
for early buildings in the area. In the 1880s, up to 40 people
were employed at "Brinton's Quarry." Much of the stone
was hauled to the railroad station along Route 926. The stone
was used in churches throughout the northeastern United States.
In 1888, a fire destroyed the buildings and water pumps of the
quarry, and the quarrying was discontinued. The site has served
for decades as a swim club,
In 1794,
600 acres were purchased for the establishment of the Westtown
School. These 600 acres continue to be owned and managed by the
School. The current main building was opened in 1888.
By the
early 1800s, Darlington Corners, at the intersection of
present-day Routes 202 and 926, included a hotel, a clock
manufacturer, a cotton factory and a store. By 1810, Westtown
had reached 790 residents. As agriculture became more
mechanized, Westtown's population decreased from 848 in 1880 to
663 in 1910. Little growth occurred in the Township during the
early 1900s - the Township only included 992 residents by 1950.
In 1882,
Mr. and Mrs. James Smith of Philadelphia purchased 143 acres
that is the center of present-day Oakbourne Park. They enlarged
the existing granite house and planted formal gardens and exotic
trees. The unique stone and brick water tower was built for fire
protection. After the Smiths passes away in the 1890s, the home
was willed to become a convalescent home for women. The home
closed in 1971, and the main property was purchased in 1974 by
the Township for a park. In the following years, the Township
restored the water tower and acquired large amounts of adjacent
land.
In 1896,
south of the Smith Mansion, the Pennsylvania Epileptic Hospital
was formed. At is peak, it included 150 patients. The property
was next used as John Knox College. The property was later
transformed into a treatment center for children with emotional
difficulties, and then into the Gaudenzia House, which provides
drug addiction treatment.
As the
railroad was extended west from Philadelphia to Westtown and
West Chester, Westtown became more accessible to new residents.
Around the turn of the century, street car lines improved
access, including trolley service along Route 3 between
Philadelphia and West Chester. Increased automobile traffic
caused the long-standing picturesque wooden covered bridge on
Street Road to be removed in 1937.
As areas
closer to Philadelphia became built-out, suburban development
pressures moved westward. By 1960, the population was up to
1,947, and by 1970 it was 5,069. Development was spurred by the
completion of the Route 202 expressway in the 1960s, the
widening of Route 202 between Westtown and Wilmington, and the
extension of sewage service into portions of Westtown. By 1990,
the Township had grown to 9,937 residents.
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