Alburtis dates to 1857, and 22% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 71% of U.S. towns · #455 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
Its Register listings are the Lock Ridge Furnance Complex and the Schlicher, George F., Hotel. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1885 on, and the census since 1880.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1868.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Alburtis’ History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Alburtis is more historic than 71% of U.S. towns, #455 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Alburtis’ overall grade.
Pennsylvania towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical Pennsylvania town has 2.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Alburtis’ 23.1 sits above most of its state (83% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 6 historic buildings outnumber those of 72% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±7.6 points). Two sources give 1857.
Founding year: Wikidata (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 Alburtis’ past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Alburtis was incorporated on May 9, 1913, by the merger of two villages, Alburtis and Lock Ridge, both of which were settled in the mid-1800s. Alburtis was named for Edward K. Alburtis, a civil engineer involved in the construction of the East Pennsylvania Branch of the Philadelphia and Reading Railway. When a railroad station was established in the village in 1859, the railroad's board of directors named the town in his honor.
A tract adjacent to Alburtis was purchased by the Lockridge Iron Company for the construction of blast furnaces in the late 1860s. This area, which grew into a separate village, is known as Lock Ridge Park.
Passages that mention Alburtis, cut from the printed page as they were published.
A history of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, from the earliest settlements to the present time, including much valuable information for the use of schools, families, libraries1902 · page 40Read the page →
Read the text
Rich and valuable hematite ores are found. The Flats near East Texas in this township are especially rich in iron ore. The principal streams that drain the township are the Little Lehigh and Swabia creeks. Industries are the Lockridge furnace near Alburtis, Macungie furnace, flour mills, etc. The people are largely engaged in farming, mining, dairying, trucking. The schools are in fine condition and compare favorably with the schools of the County. The teachers and directors are working together for the welfare and advancement of the schools under their supervision. The first settlement was made in 1738, near Macungie,
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, from the earliest settlements to the present time, including much valuable information for the use of schools, families, libraries1902 · page 40Read the page →
Read the text
Rich and valuable hematite ores 'are found. The Flats near East Texas in this township are especially rich in iron ore. The principal streams that drain the township are the Little Lehigh and Swabia creeks. Industries are the Lockridge furnace near Alburtis, Macungie furnace, flour mills, etc. The people are largely engaged in farming, mining, dairying, trucking. The schools are in fine condition and compare favorably with the schools of the County. The teachers and directors are working together for the welfare and advancement of the schools under their supervision. The first settlement was made in 1738, near Macungie,
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Alburtis, 1857 to 1956
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
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.
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.
In 1857, according to Wikidata. Alburtis’ post office opened in 1868, and the census of 1880 counted 500 people here.
How does Alburtis rank for history?
Alburtis is more historic than 71% of U.S. towns, #455 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. 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 Alburtis?
Two places: the Lock Ridge Furnance Complex (listed 1981) and the Schlicher, George F., Hotel (1992).
How old are the homes in Alburtis?
22% of Alburtis’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.6 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1989.
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 (9), the Library of Congress (2), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (2), 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, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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