Randolph H. Lytton West Chester, PA & Environs Collection

Collection — Box: 1-4

Identifier: 002

Staff Only

This collection is divided up into five (5) series: postcards, West Chester business, Chester County, Sanderson, and Sharpless. Series 1 contains Postcards of Chester County landmarks and contains the bulk of the collection; it is further divided into fourteen subseries: the Brandywine, the Battle of Brandywine, Inns and Hotels, Churches, Pocopson, Lenape, Museums, Chester County, Schools, Government Buildings, Shops and Restaurants, Parks, “Greetings from West Chester”, and West Chester Normal School – State College. Series 2 contains advertisements and business cards of historic West Chester businesses; it is broken down into 2 subseries: Business Cards and Ads, Events, and Notifications. Series 3 contains Chester County materials; it is divided into 2 subseries, West Chester, which contains only West Chester materials and Chester County generally, which contains places other than West Chester. Series 4 contains materials relating to Christian Sanderson and the Sanderson Museum. Finally, Series 5 contains materials including advertisements, post cards, and ad books from the Sharpless Cream Separator Company.

Dates

1837-1980
Other: Date acquired: 2009

Conditions Governing Access

Open for research

Extent

4.00 Boxes (2 record box, 1 hat box, 1 oversize box)

Additional Description

Abstract

Dr. Randolph H. Lytton is a professor of European History at George Mason Unviersity, he donated this collection West Chester materials in 2009. This Collection contains historical memorabilia from around Chester County, but mainly West Chester. It includes Postcards, business cards, and memorabilia from Chester County, Christian Sanderson, and the Sharples Separator Company.

Arrangement Thematic

Biographical or Historical Information

Born in 1944, Randolph Lytton grew up in the borough of West Chester in the 1950s. He received his Ph.D. at Pennsylvania State University in 1973, and is currently an Associate Professor of European History at George Mason University.

Technical Access Requirements

Some materials in the collection have been digitized and can be found in the following digital collections: WCU Sharples Collection and WCU Chester County Business Collection.

Source of Acquisition

Donation from Dr. Randolph H. Lytton in 2009.

Related Materials

WCU Sharples Collection WCU Digital Postcard Collection WCU Chester County Business Collection The Randolph H. Lytton historical postcards of Fairfax, Virginia

Separated Materials

Folder 206- 2 oversize advertisements for the Sharples Separator Folder 207- metal sign for the Sharples Company Items Removed Oversized- 9 Items Oversize and delicate items, located in Box #3 (items and folders listed below) Folder 177- 3 Ribbons- Brandywine Council no. 758, 50th Anniversary of the West Chester Republican Party, West Chester Lodge #42 Folder 178- 2 Prints- Everheart Mansion House, PA Railroad West Chester passenger station Folder 179- A. Duie Pyle metal thermometer Folder 206- 2 oversize advertisements for the Sharples Separator Folder 207- metal sign for the Sharples Company Collectible Plates- 3 items, located in Box #4 Item 1- West Chester 175th Anniversary plate Item 2- West Chester 175th Anniversary plate Item 3- Christian C. Sanderson 80th birthday, commemorative plate