Chester County was founded in 1682. The first Deed was recorded in the office was in the year of 1688. Land and land records were of vital importance to early settlers, and although the state of Pennsylvania has changed dramatically in the last 300 years, land and land records are still vital to many facets of Pennsylvanian's daily lives. Additionally, early land records are an unequalled source for finding information about ancestors and historical predecessors.
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Founded in 1893, the Chester County Historical Society (CCHS) is the official county history museum, history education center, and historical repository of Chester County, Pennsylvania. As such, the Society aims to preserve and share the county's remarkable history in powerful and relevant ways.
According to Chesco.org, Chester County is located in southeast Pennsylvania in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area. The County was created by William Penn as one of the three original counties of Pennsylvania. There are now 67 counties in Pennsylvania.
Chester County is 759 square miles or approximately 485,600 acres in size. The highest elevation is 1071 ft. in the Welsh Mountains in Honey Brook Township. The lowest elevation is 70 feet above sea level along the Schuylkill River at the Montgomery County line.
The County is a 3rd Class County with a three member Board of County Commissioners. There are 73 municipalities, consisting of 1 city, 15 boroughs, and 57 townships. All of the townships are Townships of the 2nd Class except Caln, which is a Township of the 1st Class. The Class of a township is determined by the State based on established criteria. 14 school districts provide K-12 public education in the County.
There are six County parks (Hibernia, Nottingham, Warwick, Springton Manor, Black Rock Sanctuary, and Wolf’s Hollow). There are also many Federal, State, and municipal parks.