Marshallton resident and West Chester University graduate Conor Hepp will take office as President of the Chester County History Center on Aug. 10.

At that time, Interim President Beverly Sheppard will hand Hepp the reins to the nonprofit formerly known as the Chester County Historical Society that is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and exhibiting the history of Chester County.

Sheppard, who held the title of Interim President since July 2019, recently sent a letter to friends of the History Center, thanking them for their support during “an extraordinary year.”

That letter is below:

Dear Friends,

Thank you all for your continued support of the Chester County History Center. It is our mutual respect for the importance of CCHC that has provided me with an extraordinary year. When I became your interim president, the world was a very different place. I expected to stay just a few months, but the energy and optimism of our staff, volunteers, members, and friends encouraged the organization to embrace the promise and excitement of initiating some exciting changes.

We started with the amazing Under One Roof campaign that inspired as many as 90,000 votes and a lively Open House that endorsed the community’s support for our success. We began the construction of new exhibits that will renew the visitor experience and tell the stories of the whole of the county. We offered more programming and opened an exhibit that recognized the connections among many cultures to the celebration of a winter holiday. With a new librarian and photo archivist, the Library undertook its annual “Big Dig” to prepare for a new year. The year 2020 held great promise.

And then along came COVID-19. The immediate impact of cancelling our annual Antiques Show and shutting our doors was profound. The fear and uncertainty surrounding the virus has affected us all. But in the midst of such a stunning event, the History Center and the community has held strong and has drawn upon our mutual caring to move forward. During the last several months, our wonderful staff has found numerous creative ways to connect with all of you, to keep people engaged, and to assure that the stories of the past continue to inspire. Together, we have all stepped forward to assert that Black Live Matter and that our full commitment to change is urgent. In this challenging year, that will indeed make history, we have stood together.

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have been part of the Chester County History Center and your lives. I welcome Conor Hepp as he assumes the leadership as President. His positive vision will add to the talents of a wonderful staff, great volunteers, and an amazing community. I am looking forward to all that is about to unfold at CCHC, and I thank you all for your support throughout this year.

Stay safe,
Beverly Sheppard
Interim President

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