Chester County Pennsylvania (Page 3) has 50 places on the National Register of Historic Places including 3 places of National significance and 8 places of Statewide significance. Significant places include Harvard, David, House, Harvey, William, House, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Gibson's Covered Bridge and Glen Hope Covered Bridge.
Several famous people are associated with these Chester County historic places including Joseph Hance, John R. Hayes and Col. John Hannum.
Some of the country's most noteable architects helped create the Chester County places including George Harlan, Menander Wood, George E. Jones, Edward H. Hall, Richard Thomas, unknown, Thomas E. Schull, Mordecai Hayes, Abraham Hamor and E.William Martin. Prominent architectural styles found in Chester Country are Georgian, Federal and Colonial.
Historic Significance:
Event
Area of Significance:
Military
Period of Significance:
1750-1799
Historic Function:
Domestic
Historic Sub-function:
Single Dwelling
Current Function:
Vacant/Not In Use
The David Havard House, located in Tredyffrin Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, is an exceptional example of 18th-century Pennsylvania stone vernacular architecture. Situated within the historic Welsh Tract, the farmstead was constructed in stages, reflecting the growth and prosperity of early Welsh settlers in the region. The earliest section of the home, a modest stone structure, dates to around 1730, while a larger, more formal two-and-a-half-story Georgian-style addition was constructed of local fieldstone in 1785. The house features classic regional design elements, including a gabled roof with dormers, a symmetrical facade, and beautifully preserved interior woodwork, representing the evolution of colonial agricultural homesteads into prosperous Federal-era estates.
The primary historical significance of the David Havard House lies in its direct association with the American Revolutionary War, specifically the Valley Forge encampment of 1777?1778. During this pivotal winter, the home served as the official military quarters for Brigadier General William Woodford, commander of the 1st Virginia Brigade. Situated just south of the outer line of defense, the Havard property was integrated into the encampment's logistical network, witnessing the hardships and strategic planning of the Continental Army. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, the house stands as a poignant reminder of the civilian sacrifices and military endurance that defined the struggle for American independence.
Historic Significance:
Architecture/Engineering, Event
Architect, builder, or engineer:
Unknown
Architectural Style:
No Style Listed
Area of Significance:
Architecture, Military
Period of Significance:
1700-1749
Historic Function:
Domestic
Historic Sub-function:
Single Dwelling
Current Function:
Domestic
Current Sub-function:
Single Dwelling
The William Harvey House, located in Pennsbury Township near Chadds Ford, Chester County, Pennsylvania, is a premier example of early 18th-century Quaker vernacular architecture in the Brandywine Valley. Originally constructed circa 1728 by William Harvey, an English immigrant and maltster who acquired the land in 1712, the house was later expanded with a substantial stone addition in 1745. Built of local fieldstone, the two-and-a-half-story dwelling features classic Pennsylvania farmhouse characteristics, including a steep gable roof, asymmetrical fenestration, and large fireplaces that speak to its origins as a self-sufficient colonial homestead. The house reflects the transition from temporary first-generation pioneer housing to permanent, durable stone construction, embodying the agricultural prosperity of Chester County's early Quaker settlers.
Beyond its architectural merit, the William Harvey House holds profound historical significance for its direct association with the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777. Situated in the immediate theater of conflict, the property was occupied and heavily plundered by British forces under General William Howe during their march toward Philadelphia. Despite his Quaker pacifist beliefs, William Harvey II remained on the property to protect his family and home, witnessing the devastation firsthand as soldiers ransacked the homestead and confiscated livestock. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, the preserved farmhouse stands as a silent witness to the largest single-day land battle of the American Revolution and remains a vital physical link to the colonial heritage of southeastern Pennsylvania.
Historic Significance:
Event, Architecture/Engineering
Architect, builder, or engineer:
Multiple
Architectural Style:
No Style Listed
Area of Significance:
Architecture, Military, Industry
Period of Significance:
1875-1899, 1850-1874, 1825-1849, 1800-1824, 1750-1799
Historic Function:
Domestic, Industry/Processing/Extraction
Historic Sub-function:
Manufacturing Facility, Village Site
Current Function:
Recreation And Culture
Current Sub-function:
Museum
Established in 1771 by ironmaster Mark Bird, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site stands as one of the finest and most complete surviving examples of an American "iron plantation." Located in Berks County, Pennsylvania, this cold-blast, charcoal-fueled iron enterprise played a pivotal role in the early industrial development of the United States. During the American Revolutionary War, the furnace served as a vital patriotic asset, manufacturing cannons and shot for the Continental Army. Throughout its era of operation, which lasted until 1883, the furnace produced pig iron and a variety of cast-iron consumer goods, most notably the widely distributed Hopewell stoves. The site represents a crucial transitional phase in American history, marking the shift from a rural, agrarian economy to a highly organized, resource-intensive industrial system.
The significance of Hopewell Furnace extends beyond its industrial technology to its preservation of an intact, self-contained company town. The historic site encompasses a remarkably preserved cultural landscape that includes the central stone blast furnace, the waterwheel-powered blowing engine, the ironmaster's mansion, tenant houses, a company store, and support structures like the blacksmith shop and barn. This cohesive community layout illustrates the paternalistic social hierarchy and daily lives of the diverse workforce-including skilled founders, molders, woodcutters, and colliers-who lived and labored on the plantation. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966, Hopewell Furnace remains a premier educational resource for the study of early American technology, labor relations, and rural industrial life.