Parkside since it's inception has been a suburban residential community with a small commercial sector. In the 84 years of it's existence as a borough there have been no dramatic land developments. The gradual change in property usage from residential to commercial along Edgmont Avenue is nearly complete.
Because of the general attractiveness of the area, the borough was settled quite early. In 1672 the land in the immediate area was first deeded to Neals Mattson by the Duke of York. What is now Parkside was located in Chester Township in what was then Chester County. The land remained farmland, but the period of 1850 to 1900 saw the City of Chester grow substantially in size continually pushing outward towards it's principal boundaries.