More historic than 12% of U.S. towns · #1,029 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
Most of Bear Creek Township was built recently: 8% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1975. Below: maps from 1922 on and the census since 2000.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Bear Creek Township is more historic than 12% of U.S. towns, #1,029 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
D
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Bear Creek Township’s overall grade.
Pennsylvania towns of 2,500+ (1,035)#1,029 of 1,035
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 Bear Creek Township’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (25% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1993.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D− to C−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.8 points).
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 Bear Creek Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
On the map
Bear Creek Township on the map, 1922 to 1992
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Bear Creek Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1922Stoddartsville sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Bear Creek Township.
Bear Creek was first settled in the 1770s. The village’s development was closely tied to the lumber and ice industries, spearheaded by entrepreneur Albert Lewis (1840–1923), who became known as the “Lumber and Ice King of Luzerne County”. Lewis founded the Bear Creek lumber and ice operations, creating a company town that included workers’ cottages, outbuildings, and industrial facilities.
On August 25, 1993, the village broke away from Bear Creek Township and became a borough. The Bear Creek Village Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
Passages that mention Bear Creek Township, cut from the printed page as they were published.
A history of Wilkes-Barré, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania1909 · page 111Read the page →
Read the text
Bear Creek Township, the largest in Luzerne County, was organized in 1856. out of Wilkes-Barre, Pittston, Bucks, Plains and Jenkins townships. The Sullivan military road passed through this township, and along this road, in 1786, a log cabin was built. Oliver Helme built the first sawmill on Bear Creek in 1800. At this point is the only hamlet. Bear Creek Township is wild and rugged. It is beyond the coal area, and has little good farming land.
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.
In 1993, according to Wikidata. the census of 2000 counted 284 people here.
How does Bear Creek Township rank for history?
Bear Creek Township is more historic than 12% of U.S. towns, #1,029 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.
How old are the homes in Bear Creek Township?
8% of Bear Creek Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.8 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1975.
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 (6), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the USGS Geographic Names Information System 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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