Page 8 - 2022 Chester County Guide & CCCBI Membership Directory

WELCOME TO CHESTER COUNTY
CHESTER COUNTY CHAMBER
History of the Chamber
The Chester
County Chamber
of Business &
Industry was founded
in 1992 and represents
a diverse and vibrant
business community. With
a membership of over 800,
the Chamber is uniquely positioned in Southeastern Pennsylvania, which is
an integral part of the Commonwealth’s and
the nation’s economic
engine. As a “chamber
of influence” and the
largest Chamber in Chester County, we serve as the
voice for business on
local, state and federal-
level issues that impact business. Our programs
are as diverse as our membership. From small, more intimate settings for
our meetings and events
to the largest gatherings
of decision makers in the Chester County region, our chamber is known for the quality and prestige of its events. Developing our workforce and helping our businesses to succeed is at the heart of the organization.
The home of the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry is in a charming serpentine stone farmhouse that was renovated December 2000. The house was built in the 1720s as the home of Joseph Garrett upon his marriage to Mary Sharples. The serpentine stone farmhouse is part of 26-acre Goshenville, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in November 2000.
In 2001, the Chamber dedicated the center in honor of former Congressman John H. Ware III, widely regarded as one of the most influential people in Pennsylvania politics.
COUNTY HISTORY
On September 11, 1777, the Revolutionary War descended
on the region. A trip to the Brandywine Battlefield Park commemorates that time and place in our nation’s history, transporting visitors back to that period when General Washington utilized the high ground of Chadds Ford to defend against the British advance. Later, Chester County played its
part in the Civil War, helping slaves to escape to the northern states via the Underground Railroad.
Agriculture has long played a major role in Chester County’s economy due to the fertile soil of the region. In 1885, two Kennett Square florists began growing mushrooms and today, the county is the largest mushroom producer in the nation. Manufacturing developed in the 1700s because of the rich mineral deposits that were suitable for iron works. The latter part of the 19th century brought big steel producers like Lukens Steel and Lenape Forge to the area.
Today’s Chester County is buzzing with change. The landscape has expanded to make room for new homes and businesses beside its winding roads and stone farmhouses. Agricultural land remains productive and preservation efforts have protected over 15,000 acres of farmland. Manufacturing now includes concentrations of high-tech industries and corporate giants. The region’s economy is one of the strongest and most diversified in the state.
6 Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry