History of Downingtown, Chester County, Pa by Charles H Pennypacker, first published in 1909, is a rare manuscript, the original residing in one of the great libraries of the world. This book is a reproduction of that original, which has been scanned and cleaned by state-of-the-art publishing tools for better readability and enhanced appreciation. Restoration Editors' mission is to bring long out of print manuscripts back to life. Some smudges, annotations or unclear text may still exist, due to permanent damage to the original work. We believe the literary significance of the text justifies offering this reproduction, allowing a new generation to appreciate it.

History of Downingtown, Chester County, Pa

This is a reproduction of a vintage text, originally published in 1909. It provides a detailed description and history of a town just outside of Philadelphia, Downingtown. This is a fantastic historical resource for early Pennsylvania history.

Excerpt from History of Downingtown, Chester County, Pa In the fall of 1908 there appeared in the Archive, the Down ingtown wcekly newspaper, an article calling attention to the fact that May 28, 1909, would-mark the fiftieth anniversary of the organization of the Borough of Downingtown, and suggesting its appropriate observance. Attention was especially called to the fact that Downingtown, although an ancient settlement and with an honorable record, had no published history, and propos ing that the semi - centennial should be marked by the preparation and publication of a town history. The article was received with marked approbation by many prominent citizens. The Council appointed a committee on the subject, with Mr. Isaac Y. Ash as chairman, and after deliberation it was decided to submit the question of the celebration to a called meeting of representative citizens, and this meeting was duly called, and was held in the rooms of the Alert Fire Company on the evening of March 11, 1909. The assemblage was composed of representatives duly appoivted from the churches, benevolent and patriotic organiza tions and the industrial, financial and other interests of the com munity, and was largely attended. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

From the days predating the American Revolution, Downingtown has played a vital part in the development of not only Chester County but also the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States of America. It was an important stop for farmers and tradesmen transporting goods between Lancaster and Philadelphia. During the Philadelphia campaign of the Revolution in 1777, the Continental Congress approved the storage of material for George Washington's army in Downingtown. Situated in the heart of one of William Penn's three original counties of Pennsylvania, the area grew into an important manufacturing community, known for its paper mills fueled by the east branch of the Brandywine River, which flows through the middle of the town.

Regiments from Chester County fought bravely in all theaters of World War II, while locals at home took extraordinary measures to support the Allies. West Chester resident G. Raymond Rettew developed a process to mass produce vitally needed penicillin while a peaceful farm transformed into the bustling Valley Forge General Hospital in 1943. Women entered labor positions at companies, including Lukens Steel, to meet production demands. The Coatesville YMCA created and distributed a newsletter to soldiers so the boys on the front had the news from back home. Author Marion Piccolomini celebrates the resilience and perseverance of Chester County residents in the midst of total war.