However, the decree of incorporation was not recorded until January 9, 1894, to prevent confusing the tax accounts of London Grove Township and to eliminate the need for a special borough election.

The move for incorporation followed several years of significant growth in West Grove that began to develop with the coming of the Philadelphia and Baltimore Central Railroad in 1860.

On March 28, 1885, the Daily Local News described West Grove as "one of the most flourishing villages in this county" and stated that "it contains some three flouring mills and the largest nursery for rose culture [see below] in the United States (Dinger & Conrad, Co.), a large casket factory (Paxson Comfort) and a large number of dwellings."

Born in Penn Township in 1836, Joseph Pyle opened a general store in 1860 in the brick building that is currently empty.

Furthermore, Pyle introduced the manufacture of brick, planned and installed the first public water system, was President of the West Grove Improvement Company which financed the construction of the casket factory in 1885, served on Borough Council and was Burgess (Mayor) from 1900 to 1903.

The first council meeting was held March 6, 1894, in the Library Room on the second floor of the National Bank Building on Exchange Place.

In the late 1880s the West Grove Post Office was the second largest in Chester County, mostly due to the volume of nursery products shipped by Dingee & Conard.

William Penn originally granted land for the inn subject to an annual rent payment of one red rose.

It follows a north-south alignment through the eastern part of the borough via Prospect Avenue, Evergreen Street and Chatham Road.

U.S. Route 1 (which runs from Key West, Florida to Fort Kent, Maine) bypasses the borough to the north.