Historic Preservation

West Whiteland Township takes great pride in the preservation and restoration of our historic resources and recognizes the architectural, artistic and cultural significance behind them. The Board of Supervisors and Historical Commission make it a priority to ensure that these structures are preserved and reused to meet the needs of the community. 

While some may fear that increased development in the Township is a threat to these resources, in fact the opposite is true. Through ordinance requirements and improvements agreed to during the land development process, several recent projects have been redesigned to showcase the unique combination of old and new that defines West Whiteland Township.

Updated Historical Resources Survey

The Township has updated its roster of historical properties, which now includes over 400 sites, homes, converted houses, root cellars, barns and outbuildings. Thanks to a Vision Partnership Program planning grant from the Chester County Planning Commission, the Township was able to conduct the first update since the original inventory of 200 properties was compiled in 1982.

The updated resources will facilitate the preservation and stewardship of these 400+ sites by Township staff, the Historical Commission and the public, resulting in some new deliverables and resources:

  • Revised A History of West Whiteland publication which incorporates the additional properties and is now available online. (Hard copies of the original book are available at the Township building on the second floor).
  • Updated historic resource map and sites listing
  • Staff is currently compiling the new survey forms and other deliverables from the update to create an interactive map showcasing all historic resources within the Township.


Historic Preservation Award Winners

  1. 2021 Historical Preservation Awards Property Descriptions (PDF)
  2. 2020 Historical Preservation Awards Property Descriptions (PDF)
  3. 2019 Historic Preservation Awards Property Descriptions (PDF)
  4. 2018 Historic Preservation Awards Property Descriptions (PDF)
  5. 2017 Historical Preservation Awards Property Descriptions (PDF)
  6. 2016 Historic Preservation Awards Property Descriptions (PDF)
  7. 2015 Historic Preservation Awards Property Descriptions (PDF)
  8. 2014 Historic Preservation Awards Property Descriptions (PDF)
  9. 2013 Historic Preservation Awards Property Descriptions (PDF)

1777 Chester County Property Atlas

One of the defining moments in Chester County’s long history occurred on September 11, 1777 along the Brandywine Creek in the southern part of the county. To understand the Battle of Brandywine, one needs to understand the movement of both the British and Continental Armies, and to understand that movement, one needs to understand the network of public roads as it existed in 1777.  

The historic data presented in this project was completed via extensive primary-source research undertaken by the Chester County Archives staff. This is an on-going project, and the information presented here will be sporadically updated as new sources emerge or other parts of Chester County are researched. 

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