Chester, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chester, Pennsylvania
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Home rule city
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Chester Courthouse
Subaru Park
Widener University
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| Motto(s):
What Chester Makes Makes Chester
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Location of Chester in Delaware County and in Pennsylvania
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Pennsylvania | ||
| County | Delaware | ||
| Incorporated | 1682 | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 6.00 sq mi (15.55 km2) | ||
| • Land | 4.83 sq mi (12.52 km2) | ||
| • Water | 1.17 sq mi (3.04 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 69 ft (21 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 32,605 | ||
| • Density | 6,746.33/sq mi (2,604.57/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | ||
| ZIP Code |
19013
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| Area codes | 484 and 610 | ||
| FIPS code | 42-045-13208 | ||
| FIPS code | 42-13208 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 1171694 | ||
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Pennsylvania Historical Marker
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| Designated: | October 13, 1947 | ||
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Philadelphia metropolitan area (also known as the Delaware Valley) on the western bank of the Delaware River between Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware. The population of Chester was 32,605 at the 2020 census.
Incorporated in 1682, Chester is the oldest city in Pennsylvania and was the location of William Penn's first arrival in the Province of Pennsylvania. It was the county seat for Chester County from 1682 to 1788 and of Delaware County from 1789 to 1851.
From the second half of the 19th century through the first half of the 20th century, the city was a major center of heavy industry, manufacturing and shipping. The city became a boomtown during World War I and World War II. The availability of employment in factories, dock work, and shipbuilding attracted immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe and African-American migrants from southern states. Since the mid-20th century, it has lost most of its manufacturing base and has struggled as a post-industrial city dealing with crime, pollution, and poverty. Pennsylvania declared Chester a financially distressed municipality in 1995 and a fiscal emergency in 2020. In 2022, Chester became the 31st city in the United States to declare bankruptcy.
The city is home to Widener University, Harrah's Philadelphia, the Chester Waterside Station, the William Penn Landing Site, and Subaru Park, home of the Major League Soccer team, the Philadelphia Union.
Contents
History
The first European settlers in the area were Swedes. They called the settlement that became Chester first "Finlandia" (the Latin name for Finland), then "Upland" (see the Swedish province of Uppland and the borough of Upland). They built Fort Mecoponacka in 1641 to defend the settlement.
By 1682, Upland was the most populous town of the new Province of Pennsylvania. On October 27, the ship Welcome arrived at the town, bearing William Penn on his first visit to the province. Penn renamed the settlement for the English city of Chester.
Chester served as the county seat for Chester County, which then stretched from the Delaware River to the Susquehanna River. In 1789, the city became the county seat for the newly created Delaware County (whereupon Chester County became landlocked, with West Chester as its county seat), but the county seat was moved to the borough of Media in 1851. The courthouse is near the new City Hall building.
Chester's naval shipyard supplied the Union during the Civil War, and the United States in subsequent wars until the shipyard at Philadelphia became dominant after World War II. America's largest postbellum shipyard, John Roach's Delaware River Iron Ship Building and Engine Works, was also located in Chester, and the location was repurposed by the Ford Motor Company with the Chester Assembly factory until 1961. The Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., later Pennsylvania Shipyard & Dry Dock Company, was located in Chester until it closed in 1990. Two ships of the United States Navy have been named USS Chester in honor of the city.
On April 10, 1917, an explosion at the Eddystone Ammunition Corporation near Chester resulted in the deaths of 133 workers, mostly women.
Chester is one of numerous places that claim to be the birthplace of the hoagie sandwich. It is also known as the "Cradle of Rock 'n Roll", as Bill Haley & His Comets first performed and maintained their headquarters in the Chester area.
The following are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: Delaware County National Bank, 1724 Chester Courthouse, Chester Waterside Station of the Philadelphia Electric Company, Old Main and Chemistry Building, William Penn Landing Site, and the former Second Street Bridge.
Geography
Chester borders on (clockwise from southwest to northeast) Trainer Borough, Upper Chichester Township, Chester Township, Upland Borough, Parkside Borough, Brookhaven Borough, Nether Providence Township, Ridley Township, and Eddystone Borough in Pennsylvania. Across the Delaware River, the city faces Gloucester County, New Jersey, and while most of its riverfront borders Logan Township, the easternmost portion of the city borders Greenwich Township. The city has a total area of 6.0 square miles (15.6 km2), 4.8 square miles (12.5 km2) of which is land and 1.2 square miles (3.0 km2) of which (19.42%) is water, according to the United States Census Bureau.
Being at a low elevation between Philadelphia and Wilmington, Chester experiences a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) bordering a humid continental climate (Dfa.) The hardiness zone is 7b.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 657 | — | |
| 1830 | 847 | 28.9% | |
| 1850 | 1,667 | — | |
| 1860 | 4,631 | 177.8% | |
| 1870 | 9,485 | 104.8% | |
| 1880 | 14,997 | 58.1% | |
| 1890 | 20,226 | 34.9% | |
| 1900 | 33,988 | 68.0% | |
| 1910 | 38,537 | 13.4% | |
| 1920 | 58,030 | 50.6% | |
| 1930 | 59,164 | 2.0% | |
| 1940 | 59,285 | 0.2% | |
| 1950 | 66,039 | 11.4% | |
| 1960 | 63,658 | −3.6% | |
| 1970 | 56,331 | −11.5% | |
| 1980 | 45,794 | −18.7% | |
| 1990 | 41,856 | −8.6% | |
| 2000 | 36,854 | −12.0% | |
| 2010 | 33,972 | −7.8% | |
| 2020 | 32,605 | −4.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980 | Pop 1990 | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 18,894 | 13,045 | 6,582 | 5,117 | 4,527 | 41.26% | 31.17% | 17.86% | 15.06% | 13.88% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 25,850 | 26,924 | 27,500 | 24,803 | 22,560 | 56.45% | 64.33% | 74.62% | 73.01% | 69.19% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 38 | 83 | 65 | 69 | 54 | 0.08% | 0.20% | 0.18% | 0.20% | 0.17% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 73 | 165 | 217 | 213 | 227 | 0.16% | 0.39% | 0.59% | 0.63% | 0.70% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | N/A | N/A | 4 | 9 | 7 | N/A | N/A | 0.01% | 0.03% | 0.02% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 15 | 60 | 60 | 30 | 140 | 0.03% | 0.14% | 0.16% | 0.09% | 0.43% |
| Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) | N/A | N/A | 440 | 677 | 1,038 | N/A | N/A | 1.19% | 1.99% | 3.18% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 924 | 1,579 | 1,986 | 3,054 | 4,052 | 2.02% | 3.77% | 5.39% | 8.99% | 12.43% |
| Total | 45,794 | 41,856 | 36,854 | 33,972 | 32,605 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2010 census
As of Census 2010, the racial makeup of the city was 74.7% African American, 17.2% White, 9.0% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 0.6% Asian, 0.4% Native American, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 3.9% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. [1]
There were 11,662 households, out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18, 19.5% were headed by married couples living together, 35.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.1% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64, and the average family size was 3.34.
Economy
For the period 2010–2014, the estimated median annual income for a household in the city was $28,607, and the median income for a family was $34,840. Male full-time workers had a median income of $34,354 versus $30,634 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,516. About 27.3% of families and 33.1% of the total population were below the poverty line, including 47.7% of those under age 18 and 18.4% of those age 65 or over.
Sports
Horse racing
With the construction of Harrah's Philadelphia, the city received a series of horse races that were once held at the Brandywine Raceway and the now-defunct Liberty Bell Park Racetrack. The racino opened on January 22, 2008, and features a specially constructed bridge that enables the midpoint of races, contested at one mile, to take place over the Delaware River.
Soccer
| Club | Sport | League | Venue | Established | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Union | Soccer | MLS | Subaru Park | 2010 |
Chester is the home of the Major League Soccer Philadelphia Union franchise, which plays its home games at Subaru Park, a soccer-specific stadium at the base of the Commodore Barry Bridge. Located on the Delaware River, the stadium is part of a larger development called Rivertown. Financing for the Rivertown development was announced in early 2008 by Governor Ed Rendell and Pennsylvania Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, with $25 million going to the construction of Subaru Park, and an additional $7 million towards a two-phase project composing of 186 townhouses, 25 apartments, 335,000 square feet (31,100 m2) of office space, a 200,000-square-foot (19,000 m2) convention center, more than 20,000 square feet (1,900 m2) of retail space, and a parking structure to house 1,350 cars. In phase two, another 200 apartments will be built, along with 100,000 square feet (9,300 m2) of office space and 22,000 square feet (2,000 m2) of retail space.
Education
In 1995, the city's schools ranked last among the state's 501 districts, leading Pennsylvania education officials in 2001 to hire the for-profit Edison Schools to run the local school district for three years.
Primary and secondary schools
Public schools
The Chester-Upland School District serves the city, along with nearby Chester Township and the borough of Upland.
Parochial schools
Drexel Neumann Academy, of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia, is Chester's only parochial school. It is run by the Saint Katharine Drexel Roman Catholic Church which was established in 1993 by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia with the consolidation of all Roman Catholic parishes in the city.
Resurrection of Our Lord School in Chester closed in 1993. St. James High School for Boys closed its doors in 1993 due to low enrollment.
Charter schools
Chester Charter Scholars Academy began in 2008 as a small public-private partnership between The Chester Fund for Education and the Arts and the Chester-Upland school district. The school was originally called the Chester Upland School for the Arts (CUSA) and operated until 2011 when significant staff reduction occurred due to state funding cuts. In 2012, a charter school application was accepted and the school operated in Aston until September 2017 when a $30 million campus was built on Highland Ave.
Chester Community Charter School is a charter school established in 1998 that serves over 4,000 students in grades K-8. The school operates four campuses, the Upland campus at 1100 Main Street in Upland, the Aston campus at 200 Commerce Drive in Aston, the East Campus at 302 East 5th Street and the West Campus at 2730 Bethel Road in Chester Township.
Widener Partnership Charter School was first launched in 2006, and is located across from the main campus of Widener University. It enrolls students from kindergarten to eighth grade. Widener University provides support to the charter school including educating staff, providing work to graduate students, and use of the university facilities. The school also has a number of outside partners that include 21st Century Learning Communities, Andrew Hicks Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Big Friends, Chester Education Foundation, Earth Force, Exelon Foundation, Incredible Years, PECO, and Soccer for Success. The Widener Partnership Charter School also has recently added a new $4.6 million wing of the school at 1450 Edgmont Ave. This new edition includes a science learning center, an extension of the library, a gymnasium, eight classrooms and eight offices.
Colleges and universities
Widener University is a private university in Chester. Its main campus sits on 108 acres (0.44 km2). The university has three other campuses: two in Pennsylvania (Harrisburg and Exton) and one in Wilmington, Delaware.
Founded as The Bullock School for Boys in 1821, the school was established in Wilmington, Delaware. It became The Alsop School for Boys from 1846 to 1853, and then Hyatt's Select School for Boys from 1853 to 1859. Military instruction was introduced in 1858, and in 1859, the school changed its name to Delaware Military Academy. It moved to Chester in 1862 and became Pennsylvania Military Academy. It was known as Pennsylvania Military College after 1892 and adopted the Widener name in 1972.
About 3,300 undergraduates and 3,300 graduate students attend Widener in eight degree-granting schools. The university offers associates, bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in areas ranging from traditional liberal arts to professional programs. The Carnegie Foundation classifies Widener as a Doctoral/Research University and a Community Engagement Institution.
Sleeper's College was a vocational school founded in 1910 for "office and commercial training".
Transportation
As of 2015, there were 97.93 miles (157.60 km) of public roads in Chester, of which 18.33 miles (29.50 km) were maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and 79.60 miles (128.10 km) were maintained by the city.
In Chester, east–west streets are numbered, while north–south streets carry names. The main bisecting street, known as The Avenue of the States south of 9th Street and Edgmont Avenue north of it, is signed as both Pennsylvania Route 320 (southbound only; northbound PA Rt. 320 uses adjacent Madison Street to Interstate 95) and Pennsylvania Route 352. North of I-95, State Route 320 follows Providence Avenue. Between 1993 and 2006, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) widened and realigned Pennsylvania Route 291 from Trainer to Eddystone from a two-lane roadway to a five-lane roadway. This widening and realignment project, spearheaded by the late State Senator Clarence D. Bell, allowed PA Route 291 to maintain at least two travel lanes in each direction.
Highways and bridges
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Chester is served by Interstate 95, with Interstate 476 terminating outside the city limits in Crum Lynne. I-95 was built in the 1960s and originally terminated just north of the Chester/Eddystone line at the present-day I-95/I-476 junction. It was extended north in the 1970s, with the section around Philadelphia International Airport being completed in 1985. Three exits on I-95 allow access to Highland Avenue, Kerlin Street, and Edgmont Avenue/Avenue of the States (Rts. 320 & 352).
Two federal highway routes, U.S. Route 13 and U.S. Route 322, also run through Chester. US 13 enters Chester from Trainer on W. 4th Street, becomes part of Highland Avenue between W. 4th Street and W. 9th Street, and then continues on 9th Street to Morton Avenue. US 13 follows Morton Avenue in the city's Sun Village section until it crosses Ridley Creek and becomes Chester Pike in Eddystone.
US 322 enters Chester from the northeast, merges with I-95 briefly and crosses the Delaware River over the Commodore Barry Bridge. Prior to the bridge's opening in 1974, US 322 would cross the Delaware River on the Chester-Bridgeport Ferry, via Flower Street, causing major backups because of limited space on the ferries. With the expansion of State Rt. 291 and the redevelopment of the Chester Waterfront, both the Delaware River Port Authority and PennDOT built a pair of entrance (westbound) and exit (eastbound) ramps to PA Rt. 291, providing direct access to the waterfront without using local streets. The ramps were built between 2007 and 2010 and were opened in 2011.
Plans for reconstruction of US 322 and the merge with I-95 are underway. The road currently requires traffic to merge onto I-95 in the left lane and requires changing lanes three times to the Commodore Barry Bridge exit ramp in less than a mile.
A $16.6 million project to repair eight I-95 bridges will begin March 2017 and is expected to be finished in November 2018. Improvements to Chestnut Street and Morton Avenue are also included in the project.
Public transportation
Public bus transportation in Chester is provided by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), which acquired the former Suburban Philadelphia Transit Authority (aka "Red Arrow" Lines) in 1968. Seven bus routes (Routes 37, 109, 113, 114, 117, 118, and 119) serve the city, with the Chester Transportation Center as the hub.
The city is also served by the SEPTA Wilmington/Newark Line commuter rail service. The Chester Transportation Center and Highland Avenue stations are the two SEPTA train stations in Chester. The Lamokin Street station was run as a flagstop station until it was closed and demolished in 2003 due to low usage.
The Chester Transportation Center was both a commuter and intercity stop on the former Pennsylvania Railroad's New York City–Washington, D.C. route. The Chester Transportation Center was bypassed when Amtrak took over intercity rail passenger services in 1971, with the exception from April 30, 1978, to October 29, 1983, when the Chesapeake stopped once daily in each direction between Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
Religion
Chester has several churches of historical importance:
- Asbury AME Church - Founded in 1845, it is the second oldest African Methodist Episcopal Church in Chester behind the Union African Methodist Church built in 1832
- Calvary Baptist Church - A Baptist church founded in 1879. Martin Luther King Jr. attended Calvary Baptist when he was a student at Crozer Theological Seminary from 1948 to 1951
- Chester Friends Meetinghouse - The first Quaker meetinghouse was built in 1693 and William Penn was known to speak there
- St. Paul's Church and Old Burial Ground - An Episcopal church originally built in 1702. In 1859, a new church was built on Third Street. In 1900, the current St. Paul's Church was built at 9th and Madison Street. The Old Burial Ground contains the remains of John Morton, signer of the Declaration of Independence; David Lloyd, Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Colony and Major William Anderson, officer in the Continental Army and U.S. Congressman
- Third Presbyterian Church - A Presbyterian church founded in 1872. It was the location of the first summer bible school in 1912. It was severely damaged by fire in 2020.
St. Katharine Drexel Church is the only Roman Catholic parish remaining in Chester. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia and is the result of the conglomeration of six Chester parishes in 1993.
Notable people
Points of interest
- 1724 Chester Courthouse
- Asbury AME Church
- Calvary Baptist Church
- Chester Friends Meetinghouse
- Chester Rural Cemetery
- Chester Waterside Station of the Philadelphia Electric Company
- Delaware County National Bank
- Deshong Art Museum
- Deshong Park
- Harrah's Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack
- J. Lewis Crozer Library
- Madison Street Methodist Episcopal Church
- Old Main and Chemistry Building
- St. Paul's Church and Old Burial Ground
- Subaru Park
- Third Presbyterian Church
- Widener University
- William Penn Landing Site
See also
In Spanish: Chester (Pensilvania) para niños
