I had long been curious about West Chester. I finally visited over the weekend, and needless to say, I wasn't disappointed. Like Sinatra sang about Chicago, it's "My Kind of Town". Historic, and very urban. See for yourself.


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I always like West Chester when I'm there. The West Chester University campus has a lot of 1960's and 1970's brown and tan architecture, which I'm not a fan of.

Last time I was in West Chester, last November, they were building something decent. I wasn't sure if it was a mid-rise or a parking garage though.

I've been to Westchester several times. It's well maintained and very impressive.

they seem to like bricks in that town. lol I remember seeing some of that in a movie that bam margera made. (yeah i know it is his home town) its just weird seeing it with out them in it. lol "Haggard" its pretty funny.

Something very distinctive about Pennsylvania towns and cities that just screams out "This is Pennsylvania". I don't pick that up anywhere else, except for parts of New England. I like.

I love West Chester. It almost looks like a perfect square on a map, and until recently its urban population was just about entirely esconced within that square. What this meant was West Chester had surprising density for such a little town. In the past 10 years, though, sprawl has begun to change the town's character. It doesn't seem to be quite the oasis of colonial quaintness anymore.

I wish the University of Delaware was located in a town with such density. West Chester is just so much more walkable than Newark.

I've been to Westchester several times. It's well maintained and very impressive.

Are you talking about West Chester, PA or Westchester, NY? :uh:

BY FAR the nicest PA town that you've pictured Hero. That looks like a town worthy of taking a detour for for sure.

many years ago, as a child i used to visit a great aunt who lived on darlington st.
thanks so much for the photos. it's so wonderful to see historic preservation thriving in west chester.

In the past 10 years, though, sprawl has begun to change the town's character. .


As an example, look at this (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=200+N+High+St,+West+Chester,+PA+19380&ie=UTF8&ll=39.960067,-75.607052&spn=0.038026,0.097504&t=k&om=1) satellite image; note the snake-like streets to the west and northwest. At this level, you have a hard time making out individual streets in the center of West Chester, but have no problem picking out the circular cul-de-sacs of newer development. This isn't a West Chester thing, it's a North American thing.

WOW! Quite impressive, indeed! :)

If you take the back roads like Route 52 to get to West Chester from Wilmington, which I do since it's just plain faster for me than using 202, you see some very, very nice scenery. Among the things you pass are Winterthur and Longwood Gardens.

If you take the back roads like Route 52 to get to West Chester from Wilmington, which I do since it's just plain faster for me than using 202, you see some very, very nice scenery. Among the things you pass are Winterthur and Longwood Gardens.
I used to take this route often. There's a glass blowing shop along the way that I like. You can watch them blow glass, browse their store, and then dine in their restaurant overlooking a creek.

EDIT: It's called Simon Pearce.

http://www.simonpearce.com/
http://www.simonpearce.com/DispStoreDetails.aspx?mode=SmnPrc&StoreID=219

curious if you still have these images somewhere?