[press release/donor letter] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Pennsylvania Postal History ExhibitionThe Chester County History Center (CCHC) presents the special exhibit Letters and Post Cards: 1820-1920 Chester County with a collection of postal history and picture post cards that illustrate U.S. postal delivery from and to West Chester from 1820 to 1920. This exhibit presents the rare opportunity to view hundreds of examples from the exclusive collection of renowned philatelist and guest curator William Schultz.

Visitors will also be able to view Domestic Rates – U.S.P.O. Acts of 1792 to 1863, Schultz’s nationally award-winning postal history materials. tI includes rare early examples of mail that depict pivotal moments in postal delivery in the U.S. as it changed from something affordable to only a few to a method of communication that the average person could use.

Whether you are fascinated by colorful post cards of scenes gone by or are intrigued by how far a letter traveled 200 years ago, this exhibit will capture your imagination. The exhibit is included with museum admission and open to the community.

CCHC has long been a safe keeper, partner, and supporter of postal history. Since 2019, the History Center has hosted The Philatelic Gathering in West Chester welcoming a group of stamp and postal history collectors that every month explores and shares a myriad of topics and create new philatelic friendships. This partnership underscores the value of postal history as part of the fabric of our society and asserts the History Center’s commitment to its preservation.

This region, steeped in rich American history, witnessed the emergence and development of postal services as a vital conduit for communication, trade, and cultural exchange. The evolution of postal services in the Greater Philadelphia area reflects the broader historical trends of the nation and provides a unique lens through which the growth, challenges, and resilience of these communities can be comprehensively understood.

Chester County History Center has been Chester County, PA’s resident storyteller since its founding in 1893. CCHC is a nonprofit historical institution with the mission to “Link the Past to the Present, to Inspire the Future” while engaging, preserving, educating, connecting, and imagining with our community. CCHC is responsible for three centuries of history through the preservation of documents, photographs, and newspapers in our research library and photo archives, as well as artifacts in the museum. These primary historical materials are central to the core exhibition “Becoming Chester County,” the first visible storage space, and year-round youth and adult education programs.

[From the website, the visiting hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. There is an admission charge. Visiting information here.]