West Chester, PA

West Chester
Borough
From top left: (1) West Chester Downtown Historic District, (2) Buckwalter Building, (3) West Chester University of Pennsylvania, (4) Chester County Courthouse, and (5) Farmers and Mechanics Building.
Location in Chester County and the state of Pennsylvania.
West Chester Show map of Pennsylvania West Chester Show map of the US Location in Pennsylvania.
Coordinates: 39°57′31″N 75°36′18″W / 39.95861°N 75.60500°W / 39.95861; -75.60500Coordinates: 39°57′31″N 75°36′18″W / 39.95861°N 75.60500°W / 39.95861; -75.60500
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Chester
Government
• Mayor	Jordan Norley
Area
• Total	1.85 sq mi (4.78 km2)
• Land	1.85 sq mi (4.78 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	446 ft (136 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	18,461
• Estimate (2016)	19,928
• Density	10,795.23/sq mi (4,167.60/km2)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP Codes	19380-19383, 19388
Area code(s)	484, 610
Website	www.west-chester.com

West Chester is a borough and the county seat of Chester County, Pennsylvania in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The population was 18,461 at the 2010 census.

West Chester University of Pennsylvania and the Chester County government are located within the borough. The center of town is located at the intersection of Market and High Streets.

The area was originally known as Turk's Head — after the inn of the same name located in what is now the center of the borough. West Chester has been the seat of government in Chester County since 1786 when the seat was moved from nearby Chester in what is now Delaware County. The borough was incorporated in 1799. In the heart of town is its courthouse, a classical revival building designed in the 1840s by Thomas U. Walter, one of the architects for the Capitol in Washington, D.C. In the 18th century West Chester was a center of clockmaking. In the late 19th century the Hoopes, Bro. and Darlington company became a major wheelworks, first for wagons and later automobiles. In the early 20th century, an important industry was the Sharples cream separator company. In the late 20th century, Commodore International, one of the pioneers of home computers, giving its headquarters as West Chester, was located approximately a mile northeast of the borough.

The West Chester Downtown Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. Other listed buildings are the Bank of Chester County, Buckwalter Building, Butler House, Chester County Courthouse, William Everhart Buildings, Farmers and Mechanics Building, First Presbyterian Church of West Chester, New Century Clubhouse, Joseph Rothrock House, Sharples Homestead, Sharples Separator Works, Warner Theater, West Chester Boarding School for Boys, and the components of the West Chester State College Quadrangle Historic District.