Bank of Chester County

rdf:langString Bank of Chester County

rdf:langString Bank of Chester County

rdf:langString Bank of Chester County

rdf:langString Walter, Thomas U.

rdf:langString Greek Revival

rdf:langString Bank of Chester County, HABS Photo, June 1958

rdf:langString Pennsylvania

rdf:langString yes

rdf:langString cp

rdf:langString Bank of Chester County (also known as the National Bank of Chester County, National Bank of Chester County and Trust Company, and Fidelity Bank) is a historic two-story bank building located in West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania, the first bank to be chartered in the county. Following the failure to renew the charter of the Bank of the United States in 1811, states received responsibility over the banking systems within their jurisdiction. Although an initial proposal was rejected by the state legislature in 1813, a 41-bank proposal was passed the following year. An early bank building was utilized in West Chester beginning in 1814 at the Record Office, though the bank was relocated in 1818 to a building across the street, present-day 13 High Street. Following a proposal for a new site in 1835, a bank, to be built at 17 High Street, designed by architect Thomas Ustick Walter (1804–1887). It was built in 1836 in the Greek Revival style at the cost of $33,000, and features a portico with four Doric order columns; the bank was subsequently altered in 1874, 1905, and 1928. The previous building has since been rented to numerous individuals, although it still houses outdated equipment no longer used by the bank. The current building is occupied by Wells Fargo. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, located in the West Chester Downtown Historic District.