Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Palmyra

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
A−History
History · Palmyra

Palmyra dates to 1850, and 31% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 81% of U.S. towns · #112 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it

Its Register listing is the Cinnaminson Avenue and Spring Garden Street Schools. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1895 on, and the census since 1880.

1850founded
1on the National Register
31%homes built before 1940
3old photos & papers
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Palmyra’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Palmyra began

When was Palmyra founded?

1850

Palmyra dates its founding to 1850 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1880.

First census: 571 in 18802020 census: 7,438176 years

How historic is Palmyra?

A−

More historic than 81% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1851.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Palmyra’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Palmyra is more historic than 81% of U.S. towns, #112 of 468 in New Jersey. All 2 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its share of homes from before 1940 ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Palmyra’s overall grade.
Founding eraNo founding year we can rely on, so the grade uses the other two–Homes built before 194030.8% of homes (±4.1) · typical NJ town 14.7% · U.S. 8.4%ANational Register1 listing, 2 historic buildings, 2.7 per 10,000 residents · typical NJ town 3.7 · U.S. 2.4B−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 81%
NewerOlder
New Jersey towns of 2,500+ (468)Ahead of 76%

New Jersey towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical New Jersey town has 3.7 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Palmyra’s 2.7 sits near the middle of its state (44% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 2 historic buildings outnumber those of 60% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.1 points). Two sources give 1850.

Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Palmyra’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 3 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Mapped building by building6 fire insurance maps, 1895 to 1919, drew every building in Palmyra.Old housesHalf of Palmyra’s homes were built before 1957.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Palmyra’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Palmyra’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Date a photo1 archive item has no date. Guess the decade.+2Retake an old view1950 Census Enumeration District Maps -…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Every building

Palmyra, building by building, 1895–1919

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.

Palmyra fire insurance map, 1895, sheet 11895Sheet 1 of 1
Edition
Sheets
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

The story

How Palmyra came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Palmyra.

Read it all →

The area that is now Palmyra was settled in the late 17th century by Swedes, marking the northernmost border of New Sweden. A farmhouse built in 1761 by the third generation of settlers still remains as the oldest house in Palmyra. Farming was the primary use of land in Palmyra and the surrounding area until after the construction of the Camden and Amboy Railroad in 1834 with a station in the area, after which railroad workers built homes on lots they purchased along the railroad right of way. The community was originally known as Texas, but a local landowner, Isaiah Toy, a descendant of the original Swedish settlers and a stockholder in the Camden and Amboy Railroad, who wanted to have a post office established in the community, convinced the railroad to change the name of the station in 1849 to Palmyra, which came from his love of ancient history. Palmyra was the name of an ancient tr…

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Palmyra, 1850 to 1991

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1850
    FoundingPalmyra is established
  3. 1851Post officeThe Palmyra post office opens
  4. 1880In the archive1950 Census Enumeration District Maps - New Jersey (NJ) - Burlington County - Palmyra - E…
  5. 20th century
  6. 1919Born hereRobert K. Crane is born here
  7. 1950On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  8. 1957In the archiveNewspaper Clipping About Palmyra High School Arson 01
  9. 1989Born hereJonathan Grimes is born here
  10. 1991Born hereQuron Pratt is born here
By decade

Palmyra, decade by decade

2 decades in the archive, from the 1880s to the 1950s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1880s1 item
1950 Census Enumeration District Maps - New Jersey (NJ) - Burlington County - Palmyra - ED 3-100 to 10818801950 Census Enumeration District Maps - New Jersey (N…
1890s–1940snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
1950s1 item
Newspaper Clipping About Palmyra High School Arson 011957Newspaper Clipping About Palmyra High School Arson 01Document
1960s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Date unknown1 to date
Census Bureau map ofDate?Census Bureau map ofMap
Today15 recent
Palmyra, NJ post office, Dec. 20242024Palmyra, NJ post office, Dec. 2024Palmyra, NJ community center, Dec. 20242024Palmyra, NJ community center, Dec. 2024Palmyra, NJ borough hall (2), Dec. 20242024Palmyra, NJ borough hall (2), Dec. 2024Palmyra, NJ borough hall (1), Dec. 20242024Palmyra, NJ borough hall (1), Dec. 2024Legion Field, Palmyra, NJ, Dec. 20242024Legion Field, Palmyra, NJ, Dec. 2024Independence Fire Company, Palmyra, NJ, Dec. 20242024Independence Fire Company, Palmyra, NJ, Dec. 2024Chief Payton Flournoy Memorial Park, Palmyra, NJ, Dec. 20242024Chief Payton Flournoy Memorial Park, Palmyra, NJ, Dec…Cinnaminson Ave. and Spring Garden St. Schools2021Cinnaminson Ave. and Spring Garden St. SchoolsPalmyra, United States (Unsplash)2016Palmyra, United States (Unsplash)Palmyra, United States (Unsplash PBjvkCDr3aQ)2016Palmyra, United States (Unsplash PBjvkCDr3aQ)New Jersey frog pond (Unsplash)2016New Jersey frog pond (Unsplash)CINNAMINSON AVENUE AND SPRING GARDEN STREET SCHOOL2013CINNAMINSON AVENUE AND SPRING GARDEN STREET SCHOOLPalmyra RiverLINE Station in Snow2010Palmyra RiverLINE Station in SnowBroad Street Palmyra NJ from RiverLINE Tracks2010Broad Street Palmyra NJ from RiverLINE TracksMap of Burlington County highlighting2004Map of Burlington County highlightingMap
On the map

Palmyra on the map, 1950 to 1997

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Palmyra. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Palmyra on the 1950 USGS mapPalmyra on the 1967 USGS mapPalmyra on the 1973 USGS mapPalmyra on the 1983 USGS mapPalmyra on the 1997 USGS map1950Frankford sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Palmyra.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

1950 Census Enumeration District Maps - New Jersey (NJ) - Burlington County - Palmyra - ED 3-100 to 108
Retake this view1950 Census Enumeration District Maps - New Jersey (NJ) - Burlington County - Palmyra - ED 3-100 to 108, 1880

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Palmyra’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

1 historic place in Palmyra

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
2
each building in a district counts
first listed
1992
Cinnaminson Avenue and Spring Garden Street Sch…
Cinnaminson Avenue and Spring Garden Street Schools
Buildings
Cinnaminson Avenue and Spring Garden Street SchoolsBuilding

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

Palmyra, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,000188019001920194019601980200020207,438

Grew from 571 people in 1880 to 7,438 in 2020, more than tenfold.

15 censuses, 1880–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Palmyra’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

3 famous people were born in Palmyra

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Robert K. CraneAmerican biochemist · b. 1919
J
Jonathan GrimesAmerican football player · b. 1989
Q
Quron PrattAmerican football player · b. 1991
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Pennsauken Township3 historic placesB−Cinnaminson TownshipIts storyC+Riverton1 historic placeA+

Questions about Palmyra’s history

What year was Palmyra founded?

In 1850, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Palmyra’s post office opened in 1851, and the census of 1880 counted 571 people here.

How does Palmyra rank for history?

Palmyra is more historic than 81% of U.S. towns, #112 of 468 in New Jersey. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Palmyra?

One place: the Cinnaminson Avenue and Spring Garden Street Schools (listed 1992).

How old are the homes in Palmyra?

31% of Palmyra’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.1 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1957.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (18), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.