West Chester Township lies within an oval area geographically known as the "Cincinnati Arch." It is one of the best areas on the continent for collecting fossils, as the entire region was once at the bottom of an ocean. The surrounding county of Butler is famous for the number of archeological artifacts and Native American mounds discovered within its boundaries. The first wave of immigrants to arrive in West Chester were German, Irish and English, but most of the pioneers who permanently settled in the area were farmers attracted by the area's beautiful setting and fertile land.

Growth in West Chester was initially slow, as the only roads available were primitive trails and transportation meant walking or riding horseback. When I-75 was constructed in the 1950s, approximately seven miles of highway bisected the community, causing significant growth in both population and industry. Today, West Chester has emerged as a corridor for office- and technology-based businesses within a thriving light industrial and distribution market. As the economy has developed, the once-rural area has grown into an ideal suburban community.

Lazy days can be passed in beautiful community parks, including Keehner Park, a 123-acre oasis offering numerous recreational amenities, an amphitheater and a historic log cabin. The Keehner Park Amphitheatre hosts outdoor concerts and performances by the West Chester Symphony. The "Cabin in the Clearing," an original building now used for special events and as a classroom for studying pioneer life, is another of Keehner Park's outstanding attractions. The restored Station Road Schoolhouse offers educational programs. Less scholarly events such as ice cream socials are also held on the 3.2-acre schoolyard. The West Chester Community Theater, Children's Performing Arts of Lakota and Thespis Theatricals are popular local theater companies.

 

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