The Historical Chester Courthouse in Pennsylvania

The personal injury attorneys in Chester, Pennsylvania, at Schuster Law have sponsored the information in this article for your enjoyment. 

1724 Chester Courthouse

Built in 1724, the Chester Courthouse remains one of the three counties in the Province of Pennsylvania created by William Penn and is considered the oldest public building that still stands in the United States. The Courthouse was the fourth built in Chester and served as the Delaware County courthouse in 1789. In 1850, the Delaware County seat was then moved to its new home in Media, PA, and the Chester Courthouse became the City Hall for Chester.

For decades, the Courthouse was used by the Delaware County Historical Society up until 1966, when the building deteriorations became detrimental to the members of the society, compelling them to move. Over the course of its years, the courtroom maintained its title as the oldest active court and was constantly in use at least once annually until 1967.

Today, a special ceremony is held in May annually in the Chester Courthouse to celebrate Law Day. Students in Chester are able to reenact a mock trial to commemorate the importance the courthouse held to Chester and as one of the oldest legal institutions.

Structure Of The Courthouse

The 2 and 1/2 story high German Colonial-style courthouse was made out of 2-foot thick walls, carved and rubble stone, and glass windows. A stone-floored courtroom separated by a low wooden railing is on the first level, built to isolate judges and lawyers from court attendees. There are no fireplaces on the first floor, but both the jury room and the smaller jury room on the second floor have fireplaces.

To learn more, visit their site online for more historical facts about the Courthouse. Continue reading about the history of Chester in our next article on the Preservation Committee.

Our Local Office

If you or someone you love has suffered injuries caused by a personal injury accident, you deserve an advocate to fight for your rights. At Schuster Law, our experienced Chester, Pennsylvania, injury attorneys are prepared to pursue justice and compensation for your losses. Contact our legal team at Schuster Law to schedule your free case evaluation to learn more.