West Chester has grown from the sleepy village originally known as Turk's Head in the 1700s to a bustling community hosting West Chester University, a thriving educational institution. The selection of West Chester as the seat of Chester County's government in 1785 led citizens to march on the town "armed with a field-piece, a barrel of whiskey, and other warlike munitions." Architect Thomas U. Walter, who designed the U.S. Capitol, was responsible for several classic town buildings.