FUN facts about COATESVILLE

• 36 miles west of Philadelphia, Coatesville began as a settlement of the Lenape, Iroquois, Shawntee, & Erie Native American tribes who traded fur with early American Settlers

• Formerly called Bridgetown because of the two bridges that crossed the Brandywine River

• Named after Moses Coates, a successful farmer who moved to the area and purchased acres of land after the American Revolutionary War

• Has a diverse population of 13,275 people, with Afrikan Americans occupying the largest of 41.5%

• Built on the might of the steel industry, with Lukens Steel Company once being the largest employer in Chester County with over 10,000 workers

• Was a haven for Black folks escaping the segregated South, seeking better economic opportunities

• Southern Afrikan Americans and European immigrants largely made up the workforce of the steel industry

• Dr. Whittier C. Atkinson, a graduate of Howard University was the first Afrikan American to practice medicine in Coatesville, opening a hospital in 1936 to serve the local Black community

• The city is currently undergoing redevelopment, tearing down public housing & encouraging new private projects to revitalize it’s downtown area

• Now undergoing a new $65 million train station project that’s expected to be completed in Fall 2025. It plans to restore old SEPTA train lines, improving daily commute in & out of Coatesville, & boosting the support of local downtown businesses with new patrons