History of Pennsylvania Military College from 1821 to 1972. It includes over 200 historical photographs.
This book can also be found by searching WebPAC, the Widener University Library Search Catalog
Video titled "Boomtown", created by a student from the Widener School of Human Service Professions. Video is about the history of Chester. An archival DVD has been made of this video and can be found in Box 3 Archival CDs & DVDs.
"The Burglary: The Discovery of J. Edgar Hoover's Secret FBI", by Betty Medsger. The book tells the story of the break-in by political activists to the Media, PA office of the FBI. The burglars mailed some of the information they found to the Black Student Union at Widener.
Materials relating to Chester History.
Article from Spring, 1964 PMC Alumnus entitled "Chester: civil rights and PMC". Describes a history of the civil rights movement in Chester, and the sessions of members of the Human Rights Commission of the State of Pennsylvania meeting on campus to discuss the situation.
A little Chester History, Pamphlet by Geri Templin.
Biographical Sketch of A. D. MacDade
As I Recall, Places and faces of my boyhood days in Chester, Penna by Edward Nothnagle 1936
Calendar of Historic Chester published by John Bullock of http://www.oldchesterpa.com
Yearbook and Almanac of Delaware County Penna, 1928, 1934, includes advertisements and listing for Pennsylvania Military College under education institutions.
Perspective Magazine, Published in Chester in the early 2000s.
History of the name of Walio's Frog Pond.
Article about the move of the Delaware County Historical Society to Chester in 2006.
Two personal reminiscences about Chester in previous eras.
Article about the arrival of Harrah's Casino and Racetrack to Chester in 2006.
Population of Delaware County by municipality, 1790 to 2000, includes population of city of Chester.
Nia Center Community Pride Tours brochure, sponsored by Delores Freeman of the Freeman Cultural Arts Complex.
Information about Chester resident Richard Harris, author of "Politics and Prejudice: A History of Chester (PA) Blacks". Includes slides of Black History created by Richard Harris and a copy of his book "Politics and Prejudice." Also includes the following photographs sent to us by Richard Harris: Self-portrait of Richard Harris; Picture of George Raymond; Central Boys Club Football Team, 1942; additional photographs related to his life in Arizona working for the Carver Museum, including information about scholarships for students.
Backup copies of DVD, an oral history of Chester, PA, as well as an article about the creation of the video. Original copy of the DVD is in call number order with other archival items found in WebPAC, the library catalog.
Backup copies of "Coming North: Stories of Black Chester's Trials & Triumphs" a play by Amanda Kemp about the history of Chester that was performed at Widener. Article about performance of this play.
Copy of "Pie in the Sky vs. Meat and Potatoes: The Case of Sun Ship's Yard No. 4" by John M. McLarnon
Brochures from the Hub, a complex of apartments and a hotel and shops built on land owned by Widener, on Providence Road. Part of the effort for Chester revitalization.
Backup copy of video titled "Boomtown", created by a student from the Widener School of Human Service Professions. Video is about the history of Chester. An archival DVD has been made of this video and can be found in Box 3 Archival CDs & DVDs.
Copy of the book "Chester", published by the Chester Historical Preservation Committee. Contains many historical images of Chester.
Photgraph of Penn's Landing in Chester
Chester City history. Article from the Delaware County Times, dated August 13, 2001, regarding http://www.oldchesterpa.com website on the city of Chester. John Bullock started the website. Copy of "An Unexpected Answer: the story behind www.oldchesterpa.com" written by John Bullock.
Additional articles related to the history of the city of Chester, many from the Daily Times.
Transcripts and audio files of oral histories done by Swarthmore College Students in 2009. Includes interviews with the following people: Marian Hampton; Delores Freeman-Clybourn; Mrs. Ruth Minor; Nancy Payne; Harriet Ragland; Jeanette Robinson; Jeanette Robinson and James Robinson; Ms. Helen Woods.
DVD titled "Chester, Pennsylvania 1960's." Home movies taken by Mr. Robert Steele of events in Chester. Events include: Pulaski Day Parade, Richard Nixon and John Kennedy campaigning for President, Eisenhower Visit 1963, Dolittle & Barry Goldwater on campus, 19564, State Senator Bell at opening of I-95 stretch through Chester, PMC Cadets marching in Chester, George Romney's visit while campaigning for Republican Nomination for President 1968, Last Chester Bridgeport Ferry to cross Delaware River in 1974, Old cars from the 1930's and 1940's, a highwire "Bonebreaker" bike of late 1800's. Opening of Commador Barry Bridge. September 1963 parade of 300th anniversary.
Copy of article "Pie in the Sky or Meat and Potatoes" about Sun Ship Yard Number 4.
Photocopy of the Chester Civil Rights Remembrance Day Souvenir Journal dated March 26, 1965. Includes many photographs of Chester civil rights protests.
Picture of the singing group the Four Aces.
Article from the Philadelphia Inquirer titled "Virginia Damon remembers 15 cent rib roast and farms in downtown Chester", 1994.
Two articles about Chester history: "Industrial Chester" and "The Delaware River and its Valley"
Articles about the rediscovery in 2014 of the wreck of the SS City of Chester in 1888. Folders include:
Chapter of a book “Ports in the West” titled: “The Fearful Summer of ’88: Shipwreck and Exclusion,” edited by Benjamin F. Gilbert and Jack Bauer.
Chapter of a book “Shipwrecks at the Golden Gate” titled “City of Chester: August 22, 1888” by James Delgado and Stephen Haller.
Newspaper articles from the New York Times, Daily Alta California and Morning Call dated August 23, 1888 – September 5, 1894 about the collision and its aftermath.
Photograph of the SS City of Chester on a pier, undated.
Image of an oil painting on the collision of the “Oceanic” and the “City of Chester” near Fort Point in 1888 by Gilbert.
City of Chester Wreck Report dated August 22, 1888.
Chester Business Director: Minority, Women, and Locally Owned Businesses - 2014
Copies of articles relating to the history of Chester published in a variety of magazines, journals, and newspapers. Also additional resources such as lists of books about Chester and general histories of Chester and its vicinity.
Topics:
African Americans in Pennsylvania
List of books on Chester History
Businesses
The arts
Crime
Civil Rights
Civil War
Environmental Justice
William Fontaine
Richard Harris
Mayors
Old Chester PA website
Organizations
Pennsylvania Negro Business Directory 1910
PMC Colleges and Chester in the 1960s
Political History
Riots in 1917 and 1919
Schools
Soccer Stadium
Statistics
Students for a Democratic Society: Actions in Chester
Sun Ship Yard Number 4
Underground Railroad
Wade Dump
History of the Chester Rescue Mission, 1961
Copies of articles relating to the history of Chester published in a variety of magazines, journals, and newspapers from the Chester Resources and Statistics LibGuide:
Folder 1:
Ewall, M. (1999). Environmental racism in Chester.
Foster, S. (1998). Justice from the ground up: Distributive inequities, grassroots resistance, and the transformative politics of the environmental justice movement. California Law Review, 86(4), 775-841.
Hinds, M. (1992, January 5). Pennsylvania city hopes it's bouncing back from the bottom: Chester has urban problems and a chance to solve them. New York Times.
Keeva, S. (1999). Pursuing the right to breathe easy. ABA Journal, 85(2), 48.
McLarnon, J. M. (2000). Pie in the sky vs. meat and potatoes: The case of Sun Ship's Yard no. 4. Journal of American Studies, 34(1), 67-88.
McLarnon, J. M. (2002). 'Old scratchhead” reconsidered: George Raymond and civil rights in Chester, Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania History, (69)3, 297-341.
Staples, B. (1996, September 15). Life in the toxic zone; Environmental justice in Chester, Pa. The New York Times.
Staples, B. (2000, August 5). The Republicans call a cease-fire on cities. New York Times
Extra Copies of the following books:
Politics and Prejudice, by Richard Harris
Delinquency in Our Democracy, by Richard Harris
Chester: Images of American, by the Chester Historical Preservation Committee.
This book is a photographic history of Chester, Pennsylvania, published by the Chester Historical Preservation Committee. Contains many historical images of Chester.
