From the late 19th century until the mid-20th century, Chester was a bustling hub of industry, historic sites, tourist attractions, and entertainment. The first city established in Pennsylvania, Chester was famous for its many mills. The area was also home to a major shipbuilding center, the Sun Ship Corporation, as well as other industries, including the Chester Brewery and Blue Naphtha brand soap. The postcards in Chester showcase historic scenes of the city and highlight the long history of this dynamic community.
West Chester has grown from the sleepy village originally known as Turks Head in the 1700s to a bustling community hosting West Chester University, a thriving educational institution. The selection of West Chester as the seat of Chester Countys government in 1785 led citizens to march on the town armed with a field-piece, a barrel of whiskey, and other warlike munitions. Architect Thomas U. Walter, who designed the U.S. Capitol, was responsible for several classic town buildings.
This work recounts the history of the men and women who captured a century of South Carolina images, from photography's introduction in the state through to 1940.
Hidden behind massive 120-year-old gates a few blocks south of downtown Los Angeles is Chester Place, the oldest gated community in the city. Created as an enclave of the wealthy and powerful in 1899, the remarkably intact stately mansions of this historic neighborhood were once home to the movers and shakers of politics, industry, and entertainment. Beside century-old palm trees, the former mansion of oil-industry pioneer Edward Doheny stands as the centerpiece of the neighborhood at No. 8 Chester Place, which was purchased in 1901. His family dominated the neighborhood for the next 57 years. Located side by side with St. James Park in what is today called the West Adams District at the northern extents of University Park, containing the University of Southern California, Chester Place has been home to the campus of Mount St. Mary's College for a generation.