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The town of Unionville, located in Chester County, Pennsylvania, has both a long and interesting history. The most interesting fact is that the history dates back to the 1700’s. The town was originally known by a name other than Unionville. The name change is not the only thing that history reveals; Unionville also has many historical homes and buildings. As Unionville expanded, both in size and population, several important roads evolved nearby. These historic roads are still in use today. In 1682 Chester County was named by William Penn as one-third of his land holdings. The first official seal of Chester County was developed in 1683. This seal included a plow, which represented Chester County’s high amount of farming. In 1704, Marlborough Township was founded. Later, in 1729, it was divided into East and West Marlborough Townships. Unionville was originally known as Jacksonville with respect to the settle John Jackson and his family. The town was named Jacksonville in 1753, shortly after the death of John Jackson, the owner of the large brick house near “Taggart” crossroads. Later in history, Jacksonville’s name was changed to Unionville. Legend has it that the sudden change was brought on by Jesse Buffington. Apparently, as the story tells it, Jesse Buffington was having a conversation with friends one evening when he said, “Boys, let’s call this town Unionville.” From then on, people used the new name Unionville. In 1812, the name Unionville became official and has been in use ever since. As the name Unionville became used, the town grew. Many farmers lived in or around Unionville. In 1825, churches, boarding schools, and seminaries began developing throughout the area in addition to the farms. This expansion led to the development of the roads that are now considered historic in, through, and around Unionville. In 1686 William Penn decided to improve roads in Chester County. The first road he built, which happens to be one of the straightest roads in Chester County, is route 926, also called Street Road. Route 926, which is in Unionville, is a major route between Philadelphia and the Susquehanna River. In front of Charles F. Patton Middle School is Route 82. Across Route 82 is a residential area now called La Reserve. La Reserve was once home to William Chalfont and his family. Their house was known as Clermont and dated back to the 1700’s, further proof of the historic legacy of Unionville. Unionville, Pennsylvania, once known as Jacksonville, through its expansion, experienced several changes in such areas as population, geography, and industry. These changes resulted in the construction of major roads that are still traveled today. These are all contributions made by residents over a long period of time which created the lengthy but interesting history of Unionville.
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