The Chester City Hall aka 1724 on the Avenue of the States aka Edgmont Ave. about 1920. The steeple on top was added in the 1850's and removed in the 1920's see article below.
NOTE
CHESTER TIMES – April 10, 1920
OLD COURT HOUSE NEARS COMPLETION
Building, for Years
Used as City Hall, Fast Being Restored
The
interior finish of the Colonial Court House, which is being restored to its
original condition through the generosity of Governor William C. Sproul is fast
nearing completion.
The partitions in the second story have been set up in the Colonial method of wide overlapping boards in place of studding and the plasterers are already at work lathing and applying the plaster. The flooring in the second story has been laid in wide and varying widths, customary in Colonial times, and the second story rooms will be finished with the chair rail into the grove found in the original plaster.
Clarence W. Brazer, the architect, has taken particular pains that the moldings on the woodwork is as nearly as possible like those executed by the carpenters at the time the building was erected. Dr. Henry Mercer has sent from his Colonial museum at Doylestown plaster casts taken from the door moldings of Graheme Parke, at Horsham, Pa., on the Doylestown Pike, the residence of Sir William Keith, provincial governor at the time it was erected in 1721, just three years before the construction of the old court house in this city. These casts contain certain peculiarities due to certain tools available.
The
large fire places are nearly completed and the hearth has been laid with old
English size brick and large stone slabs, the inner jambs being plastered in
the old-time method.
One
modern innovation hat Governor Sproul has desired is the installation of
electricity so that light will be obtained for the Historical Society meetings
at night from sidewall fixtures resembling the old candle wall brackets.
The
building will also be heated by steam radiators. As modern civilization demands no method of
heating the first story has as yet been discovered, although every available
clue has been run down. Dr. Mercer, a
great authority upon this subject, is convinced that those who attended court,
which was only occasionally held in cold weather, carried with them their own
foot warmers, types of which are still found among our old family
heirlooms. One of these is in possession
of F. C. Watson, Wallingford, who lives in a house of some 200 years old, which
is 8 inches square, 4 inches high. The
top and bottom are composed of wood frames, surrounding a brass box, in which
coals were deposited and the heat escaped through holes in the top.
A
railing is to be installed separating the public from the lawyer’s bar and on
the left hand side next to the stairway,
to the second story , is located the two tiers of petty jury
benches. On the opposite side are three
tiers for the “grand inquest,” while on the platform 8 inches high, in front of
the judge’s bar, is the rail enclosed for the clerks of the court.
The
justice’s platform is about seven steps above the stone floor of the court room
and somewhat similar to a Supreme Court bench in Independence Hall, although on
a smaller scale.
Architect
Brazer and his assistants recently visited Thierry Van C. Phillips at Westtown
, Chester County to inspect the bench which Mr. Phillips obtained from the
heirs of Caleb Pusey and which is said to have come out of the courthouse
before the courts were moved to West Chester.
The five architects sat in comfort, which seems to prove that it might
have been used by the five Justices of the court. The design is quaint and undoubtedly of early
origin. The 24-inch seat, which is seven
feet long, is from one solid plank. The
bench in the lifetime has been painted a number of different colors, all of
which Mr. Phillips has removed.
The
courthouse bench owned by Congressman Thomas S. Butler, which was taken to West
Chester when the courts moved there, is a trifle longer and of Windsor chair
design. Which of these was used by the
Justices and which by the jurymen has not been settled, but both have been
promised to be restored to the old courthouse.
At the
rear of the courtroom were found holes in the hall for the support of platform
beams and Albert Dutton, who as a boy and son of the sheriff at the time, has
recalled that three or four tiers of seats for the public. Since this agrees with the usual arrangement
of the court rooms at the time, it will add much to the quaintness of the
interior.
A white painted wainscoat
extends from the window sills to the floor, about six feet in height and all
woodwork will be white with the exception of the railing, desk tops and
furniture which will be mahogany.
The
exterior has been completed except the fire proof paint to be applied to all
woodwork. The stone walls have been
preserved and at the same time, dap-proofed with a treatment of paraphine
driven into the pours of stone with the heat from a plumber’s torch. The surplus material removed from the surface
so that the original color of the stone is preserved in all its brilliance and
no traces are now visible of the red and green paint which covered this stone
at the time the restoration was begun.
In the rear
of the southwest entrance may now be seen scratched in the stone the initials
of boys long since deceased.
Anybody want to go for a swim? Deshong Park Wading Pool in the 1920's
The 1724 Court House was where the second reading of the US Constitution reported occurred. That is very historically important. It also served as the county court house until Chester and Delaware County were formed by separation. Pres. George Washington stopped there when he withdrew from the Battle of Brandywine. Both nationally historic events. I was approached to buy it some years ago (I live across the street) but the state required that the first floor remain public space accessible to all. The second floor is not ADA accessible. There is no on-site parking.
ReplyDeleteWould it be possible if I could metal detect the grass areas for any potential finds?
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