An Early Business in Chester. An 1823 ledger belonging to prominent businessman Peter Deshong shows the cost of items such as rum, whiskey, a keg of powder, pearl buttons, and salt.
The Bullock School Established, 1821. Pennsylvania Military College begins as a Quaker boarding school for boys. Established by John Bullock in Wilmington, Delaware, the school remains at this location until 1862.
The Marquis de Lafayette Visits Chester, 1824. As the United States approaches the 50th anniversary of the Revolution, President Monroe invites General Lafayette to return to America.
Samuel Alsop, Headmaster 1846–1853. Upon John Bullock’s death, Samuel Alsop, a Philadelphia Quaker, scholar, mathematician, and teacher at the Bullock School, becomes headmaster. He runs the school until 1853, when he sells his interests to...
First Permanent Railroad in the Nation. Originally built in 1810, the Leiper Railroad transports stone from quarries on Crum Creek to the landing on Ridley Creek, a distance of ¾ mile. It stops operation in 1828. Pictured here is the second Leiper...
Samuel Alsop, Headmaster 1846–1853. Upon John Bullock’s death, Samuel Alsop, a Philadelphia Quaker, scholar, mathematician, and teacher at the Bullock School, becomes headmaster. He runs the school until 1853, when he sells his interests to...
60th Anniversary of Washington’s Stay in Chester. General George Washington stays at this hotel after his defeat at the Battle of Brandywine in 1777. It is later renamed Washington House.
Theodore Hyatt, President 1853–1887. Educational excellence, Christian influence, parental involvement, strict discipline and the addition of military training are hallmarks of Hyatt’s tenure.
Chester Courthouse and Jail. The courthouse, constructed in 1724, provides administrative offices until 1851, when the county seat moves from Chester to Media. By 2007, it becomes the oldest government building still in continuous use in the United...
Military Drill Begins, 1858. Legend holds that Theodore Hyatt entered the gymnasium to find his pupils drilling with broomsticks. Hyatt soon introduces military training to “develop the muscles, expand the chest, and impart an erect gentlemanly...
Anti-Slavery Broadside. Chester, an important route on the Underground Railroad, plays a significant anti-slavery role in the years preceding the Civil War. Growing anti-slavery sentiment, combined with the Fugitive Slave Act, results in widespread...
Delaware Military Academy Circular, 1860. A slave state with sympathies for the South, Delaware experiences conflicting loyalties during the Civil War. The Delaware Military Academy is almost evenly divided between students from the North and...
Henry C. Robinett, Civil War 1861–1865. Robinett (DMA 1860), pictured here leads an artillery battery that successfully defends an important position at the Battle of Corinth, Mississippi. In recognition, his battery is renamed “Battery...
Robert Wetherill & Co. Building, 1872. Brothers Robert and Richard Wetherill begin to manufacture Corliss steam engines at their shop at 6th and Upland Streets. Large stationary steam engines enable manufacturers to run more complicated...
The School Moves to Pennsylvania, 1862. The school is uncomfortable with Delaware’s pro-slavery stance and moves to the former Bolmar Academy building in West Chester. The name is changed to Pennsylvania Military Academy. Pictured here is the...
