The Roughest Small Town in America - Chester PA

Once a booming suburb of Philadelphia with a population approaching 70,000, for the last 5 decades Chester PA has been in serious decline. Its population has been cut in half, its infrastructure is crumbling and a once thriving Main Street is all but abandoned now

[@johnbrown5669]

The motto is what Chester makes, makes Chester, most of us made our way out of Chester. Chester will always be our home, growing up in the William Penn in the 60's, 70's and part of the 80's we seen the deterioration coming, businesses moving out of the city, long time industries losing contracts and our Sun Ship sailed away. Just looking at some of those same streets we used to walk in down, days and nights, playing sports in the streets or Butler field. To see all the empty lots, some of those were our homes or someone you knew. Tough to watch a video like this.

[@roch9080]

I’m not from Chester but I remember the William penn pjs .. the red bricks correct??? West side

[@Phoenix_blue]

I grew up in Chester- in a neighborhood called Sun Village. Lived just off Morton ave on the corner of brown St - Never knew we were poor- felt blessed tbh. Lifelong friends, best childhood imaginable. I moved to the west coast after HS when mom died, talk about culture shock.

[@thestreethistorian]

Always seemed to run into good people when I’ve been in Chester! Rough around the edges but strong community bonds

[@sean5675]

Judging by this video, no one else remained in Chester, or at least I didn’t see a single person walking around. Congratulations on getting out.

[@williamhallager5328]

Eastside

[@ellenpride3843]

I lived in Brown street

[@williamowens3905]

I grew up in Sun Village too. I lived on Remington Street just a block or two from Brown Street. I used to play in the field across from Thomas St. before they turned it into a park. I graduated from St. James in 1970. I left Chester when i joined the airforce in 1971.

[@talonbottomley1800]

I live and was raised here and Chester isn’t the worst Philadelphia has us beat. With well over 500+ murders this year. Beating the record from year’s previous.

[@thestreethistorian]

Philly isn’t really a small town …

[@talonbottomley1800]

@@thestreethistorian it’s not but as far as crime it has Chester beat.

[@ericsierra-franco7802]

For Chester's size, Chester is very bad.

[@briancordero7674]

Chester is like ABC Gum.already been chewed.

[@orestis103]

@LowerEastSidePRCamden worse

[@hotsauce7629]

I lived in Chester for 7yrs. , I forged some great friendships. I must say that I miss the city it was my home and the community was vibrant.

[@thestreethistorian]

Always has seemed like a friendly place when I’ve been through, despite some of the issues it has been going though

[@laughingskulls]

My father was born in Chester in his family home which the entire block is now gone, turned into a lot. I used to play there in the summers of the 70s and very early 80s. We would stay at my uncles place (132 Hayes) and then go across 2nd to my aunts house. My father would tell stories how during the depression they would walk across the bridge to Jersey and get apples from the orchards and they would bathe in the hot water coming out of the steel mills in to the Delaware river. My favorite was getting up at 3am and my aunt and uncle would take me crabb'n on the Jersey shore all day. We'd come back around 9 or 10 pm and cook pots of blue crab and eat til 2 am with the whole family. Then we'd go visit my other uncle in West Chester for the 4th of July. Going to St. Hedwigs on Sunday and a big dinner that night. What I really miss were the hoagies. You can't get good hoagies where I live now. Damn shame what happened to what used to be one of the nicest places in Penn.

[@johnodonnell255]

It's very hard to see how the city of Chester has deteriorated over the years, I don't know where I'm where I'm at Born and raised in Chester for 35 years and I have good memories of it all GJWOD

[@thestreethistorian]

Yea its crazy to see... I know for me with Baltimore there are places that are barely recognizable from 20 years ago. Would love to see cities like these make a big turnaround.

[@user-kx6bw4vd4x]

I grew up in Chester. We had fun as kids. We would ride the bus from West End to downtown n eat lunch at Leon's. We went all over n never had problems. The various schools had dances n there were block parties. The various churches would have bizzars. It was fun

[@kennethcurry4049]

SO SAD TO SEE CHESTER GO DOWN LIKE THIS!!!

[@mortalsfoe6333]

im from chester, and sadly agree with this title

[@TJ-xs5bn]

I remember moving to Chester from the South in 1960. The stores in the downtown area were thriving. Big companies (Sun Ship, Scott Paper, Baldt Anchor and Chain, FORD) employed thousands. Jobs were readily available. Seemed like it would never end. Then slowly things changed and not for the better. Until you see where Chester is today. A mere shadow of what it used to be. Like thousand of industrial northern cities, hard times have taken their toll. I left in 1976 but still go back every few years or so because I have family living in Chester. I have memories of all of the great times I had in Chester. Hopefully, positive change will come to Chester and it will be a thriving little city again.

[@thestreethistorian]

Even in the last decade since I've been going up there there have been some positive changes... so it may never get back to where it once was but its definitely improving!

[@1StreetballCulture]

From 3rd Bone to Madi Block!!! its MuchBetterHere!!!

[@ogbob4768]

Chest is my home now and forever no matter where I go they gonna know I’m from Chester pa I love my city had good and bad times but when it was good we had a blast summer time in water hydrants basketball games on 7th street carnival I can go on

[@thestreethistorian]

Thanks for sharing your memories! It seems like a cool place, despite the challenges it has faced over the past few decades... and unlike a lot of places I've been it seemed pretty welcoming to an outsider

[@metalbelles3662]

Not many people walk in the streets. Very quite town

[@thestreethistorian]

For sure! I was surprised how quiet it was!

[@r.pres.4121]

Chester lost all its industry just like Camden. The severe decline and deterioration of Chester along with its festering poverty closely mirrors that of Camden. Both cities are crime infested no go zones.

[@thestreethistorian]

Yea both are pretty rough… I think both have gotten a little better in recent years but still a loooong way to go

[@Pontiacgxp303]

Don't compare a city in Pennsylvania to fuck ass New Jersey

[@hitek9too255]

And Democrat!

[@Jrhynie]

@@hitek9too255 Quite so, the streets were paved with gold when the Trump guy was in charge.

[@Jrhynie]

Luxury compared to Gambia but then Gambia doesn't have a problem with violence and drugs.

[@thestreethistorian]

True, different places definitely have a different set of problems

[@damarisriveraperez478]

The place where I born

[@briancordero7674]

The new motto for Chester should be " Where things use to be "

[@thestreethistorian]

Yea its sad to see how much of that place has disappeared.

[@RoadTripTelevisionNJ]

And this is where Subaru of America, Inc. Park, home of the MSL's Philadelphia Union soccer team is located. And I'm from North Jersey (Passaic County, New Jersey). 🤦‍♂️

[@BtheOutLIer]

Lmao! I’m from Hempstead Long Island and in 1999 my girlfriend went to Wiedner in Chester. I went out there with that tough NY attitude and was shocked! Chester looked like the BX in the 80’s lol! All jokes aside they were some good people!

[@rich1223]

I have been to Chester and its nothing like my hood Far Rockaway Queens or Hempstead LI lol

[@BtheOutLIer]

@@rich1223 lol no place is like Far Rock and Hempstead!!!

[@sean5675]

Hempstead is the largest town in the country, almost 800,000 people, which is about half the size of Philadelphia. So the comparison to the “city” of Chester is an ironic one. Hempstead is active and vibrant (I went to Hofstra) but also poor and in need of economic help. Chester has no people there and is completely dead and on the brink of bankruptcy.

[@BtheOutLIer]

@@sean5675 I grew up in Hempstead and went to Hofstra myself. Great school

[@sean5675]

@@BtheOutLIer I may be older than you. When I went it was Hofstra Flying Dutchmen and we had a football team.

[@mrq2044]

Roughest small town in America is Flint and Saginaw Michigan

[@thestreethistorian]

I was actually pretty surprised by flint… really didn’t seem that bad to me. I know their water situation was a disaster but when I was through there this summer it didn’t seem bad…. I actually got some footage out of there but didn’t bother posting it because it didn’t really seem that crazy

[@erictorow250]

Once a dump always a waste dump of a town 😮

[@TT-mf2cy]

All these Chester videos show the same parts of the city which happen to be the worst. Funny.

[@thestreethistorian]

And…?

[@TT-mf2cy]

Just noticing the same one sided narrative from “others” who haven’t lived here since the 60s.

[@tinicum54]

Where are the nice parts? A few blocks between Providence Ave and 22nd street.

[@stevebullock6084]

Billionaire Jerry of Ben and Jerrys came into co op art gallery in Downtown Chester...they said the samething about Dumbo Red Hook Harlem..Dont listen to pp who want ur town..NYC 90 MILES the north Washington 90miles to the south..with a Amtrak station in the middle of town.

[@bflo1000]

E St Louis is worse, and N Falls isn't far behind.

[@thestreethistorian]

E St Louis for sure!

[@r.pres.4121]

Niagara Falls is also very bad.

[@ericsierra-franco7802]

Chester and Camden, NJ are very bad areas close to Philadelphia.

[@user-zm5ul9ch9p]

Yo quiero saber si ay alguna de avitaciones sin. Pagar

[@damarisriveraperez478]

I love it

[@michaeldesilvio221]

It's very nice if you stay away from the bad areas.

[@thestreethistorian]

Probably true for most cities

[@erictorow250]

That’s political correctness these days folks 😮

[@salimjefferson6553]

Before it was chester; it was called mecoponaka. It was a tobacco plantation. They say all the Indians moved to Newton Square and surrounding areas. Well, they never left. All the so-called blacks or African Americans in chester are really the American Indians. The word Indian used to be referred to people of color. Do the research yourself. They changed our identity so they could take what's ours and forfeit our rights and powers that they don't want us to have.

[@thestreethistorian]

👍

[@johnkimber2509]

That is a dam lie! The vast majority of Black people in Chester are descended from migrants from the Southern states. Those migrants were descended from enslaved people brought to America from AFRICA. Claiming the identity of others will never change your own. Delusional people like you are always spreading ignorance rooted in your own internalized self hatred on the internet. The content creator should remove this ridiculous comment.

[@salimjefferson6553]

@@johnkimber2509 LOL, you mad. I can tell you have a public education and education from the television! LAMO!

[@johnkimber2509]

I am educated in common sense! Go ahead and take a DNA test, you know what it's gonna say? AFRICA, AFRICA, AFRICA! And there is nothing wrong with that! Only a clown with a colonized mind would think otherwise. There is zero proof to your claim, only your own ignorance & self hatred

[@61RdlyKryk79]

The Majority of the Lenni/Lenape Natives were forced on the "Trail of Tears" that ended in Oklahoma. There is too much info on the Delaware tribe to believe anything else.

[@ramiroschepens4469]

Been there 10 years ago.. not that bad..