Contacting me: - Update

I have temporarily cleared a small amount of space in my email box. However, spam continues to be a problem. To be sure you get through the filters, be sure to include the name of our city somewhere either in the subject or the body of your email.
You can contact me by phone. Follow this link for phone number.  -John

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Photo courtesy of
Terry Redden Peters,
TP090448@aol.com
in memory of her grandparents,
Frank and Bertha Packer.

(Click on the images to see a larger version.)

L. Wolters,
LPWOLT@aol.com

"The Chester Arms Hotel was sold around the end of 1927 and purchased by the Morakis Brothers, George, Gus, Dimitrios, Nick and their cousins the Frangos Brothers. They turned the first floor into a soda fountain and they all lived upstairs. In 1929 Irene was born on the second floor, 1930 Dimitria was born on the second floor and in 1931 James was born there too as in those days foreigners were leary of hospitals. It was a soda fountain, it's name I'm not sure, I was told the SunRay Fountain, but how true I do not know, until approximately 1950 when it was sold to the Brown family who made it into the Chester Arms Pharmacy."

Thanks to
Maria Calombaris Adamidia,
Onewildgrk@aol.com 

"Chester Arms Hotel, located across from the post office on Edgemont Avenue,  During the 1940's the hotel was leased by Louis Weiss, New York City and run by his son, Albert Weiss until about 1950. I had my 16th birthday ball at the hotel in 1959, when I believe it was run by the Kesselman brothers at that time. The hotel site then became a shelter, but never the Chester Arms Pharmacy was located on the North corner of 6th [5th] & Edgmmont."

Thanks to Mike Sapovits,
cfbubba@epix.net 

Photo above courtesy of
Mr. Jack Swerman, AIA
(Click on the image to see a larger version)

April 2002 photo
(Click on the image to see a larger version)

TR4-4221

Also featured fine dining, banquets and meeting rooms.

"I loved going there as a kid. They had the best crab imperial."
Eleanor Triboletti, Berkeley, Ca.

(Click on the image to see a larger version)

Nimrod Maxwell (March 2, 1814 - 1821; April 12, 1830, sold by Sheriff to The Bank of Delaware County; March 13, 1833, sold to Thomas Ewing and Eliza his wife.)

Leased to John J. Thurlow in 1821

Mrs. Elizabeth (Wilson) Appleby purchased in 1857; her son Thomas Appleby was landlord until 1885.

From "Chester, PA Ancient & Modern, published by Spencer Stationery Company 1904" - Courtesy of Lou Calvarese

The Chester-Cambridge Bank & Trust building was erected on this site in 1923.

Photo courtesy of Alfonso Sanbe

Photo courtesy of
Dorothy Walker, Philadelphia, PA

Photo c. 1917 courtesy of Nancy Crossman, from a photo album belonging to Beatrice A. Thompson.

The building is currently "Philadelphia Airport Days Inn".

(Click on the image to see a larger version)

also later known as the Midtown Inn

later as the Midtown Inn:

Andy Subashi
Lou Subashi &
George Bergdoll

(across from the train station)

Joe Egan, last manager

Other known employees:

Gloria (Bullock) Wingfield (1970's)

"The Royal Hotel was torn down sometime around 1978. My mom [Gloria (Bullock) Wingfield] worked as a bartender there during the 70s. It's last manager was a gentleman by the name of Joe Egan and was owned by a gentleman named Ralph Dimanico. It wasn't really a hotel in the traditional sense, but it did have tenants who rented the rooms on a monthly basis."

Thanks to
John W. Wingfield, Jr.
Elkton, KY

Photo c. 1917 courtesy of Nancy Crossman, from a photo album belonging to Beatrice A. Thompson.

Thanks to
Thomas McKniff, Sr.
Ron3597@aol.com

Photo c. 1917 courtesy of Nancy Crossman, from a photo album belonging to Beatrice A. Thompson.

(Click on the thumbnail image to see the larger version)

Photos taken immediately prior to or during demolition (including some architectural details) are available at Delaware County Historical Society research library.

"The Washington House, opposite the City Hall, erected in 1747, is Chester's most historic public house, and was first known as the "Pennsylvania Arms," A brass tablet, placed on the building in 1902, is inscribed: "Delaware County Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, marks this house as the place where Washington wrote at midnight the only report of the Battle of Brandywine, September 11, 1777, Here Washington also received the congratulations of the people of Chester upon his election as the first President of the United States, April 20, 1789," It was the great man's custom, when passing through Chester, to put up at this house, and his arrival in the town was always an event of great interest to its inhabitants."

From "Chester, PA Ancient & Modern, published by Spencer Stationery Company 1904" - Courtesy of Lou Calvarese

"I was born in Chester in 1932 and lived there until I was about 38 years old.
When I was just a small kid, I remember, what I always thought of as a very fancy restaurant. As I recall it was called the "Washington House".
It was in downtown Chester, located on the north side of Market Street next door to the Washington movie house between 3rd and 4th streets.
At that time, during the Depression, my family could not afford to eat there. But we passed by the place many times. Looking in the large windows, I saw a beautiful, inviting room with many tables all covered with white table cloths, gleaming place settings with silver, glassware and intricately folded napkins.
By the time I grew up, in the late 40's, early 50's, the Washington House restaurant, as well as the Washington movie house, had gone out of business. So I never had a chance to sample their food and service.
I would like to hear from anyone who can give us any more information on this obviously fine old Chester restaurant."

Thanks to
Tony Reczek