Cheyney is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

that sits astride

Chester Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...

and

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent ...

counties in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. It corresponds to the

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, suc ...

known as Cheyney University, which had a population of 988 at the 2010 census. It is the home of

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is a public historically black university in Cheyney, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1837, it is the oldest university out of all historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the United States. It is a m ...

. The university derives its name from George Cheyney's Farm, which became the current campus of Cheyney University in 1902. George Cheyney's Farm and the surrounding area was part of the original land grant given to

William Penn William Penn ( – ) was an English writer and religious thinker belonging to the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, a North American colony of England. He was an early advocate of democracy a ...

in 1681. Originally, Cheyney was located at the intersection of what is now Creek and Cheyney Roads. The original "Cheyney's Shops" dated from the mid 18th century and were located on the north west and north east corners of the intersection of Creek and Cheyney Roads. The original Cheyney Post Office was located there as well as the general store, hotel, blacksmith shop and wheelsmith's shop. There are old maps that show "Cheyney" to be located at the intersection of Creek (sometimes Tanguy) and Cheyney Roads. All the newer maps show the location of "Cheyney" to be on Station Road. The Cheyney Family originally owned nearly 10,000 acres. William Cheyney was the first postmaster in 1835. When the railroad came through Cheyney, the post office was moved to Station Road. The original station was located in a brick structure (now a private residence) that still stands on Station Road just east of Cheyney Road. The current station building is home to the Cheyney Post Office. The last remaining portion of the Cheyney's Shops are on the north east corner of Creek and Cheyney Roads. Cheyney University tore down all the original buildings located on the north west corner in the late 1960s or early 1970s. This group of buildings consisted of a hotel, general store/post office and blacksmith's shop as well as a large

bank barn A bank barn or banked barn is a style of barn noted for its accessibility, at ground level, on two separate levels. Often built into the side of a hill, or bank, both the upper and the lower floors area could be accessed from ground level, one are ...

. A stone wheelwright's shop and two other related original buildings are located on the opposite corner and still survive today. These structures were purchased in 1847 from the Cheyney Family by William Maison. The wheelwright shop operated until 1918 when Samuel W. Maison, son of William Maison, died. In 1934 Mary Elizabeth Maison, daughter of William Maison, sold the structures and property. Cheyney straddles the border between Thornbury Township in Chester County and Thornbury Township in Delaware County. These townships were originally one township, which was bisected when Delaware County split from Chester County in 1789. Both township offices are located along Cheyney Road next to the university. The John Cheyney Log Tenant House and Farm and

Melrose Melrose may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Melrose, Scottish Borders, a town in the Scottish Borders, Scotland ** Melrose Abbey, ruined monastery ** Melrose RFC, rugby club Australia * Melrose, Queensland, a locality in the South Burnett R ...

are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

References

External links

* {{Authority control Census-designated places in Delaware County, Pennsylvania Census-designated places in Chester County, Pennsylvania