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BHistory
History · Big Beaver

Big Beaver dates to 1802, and 16% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 57% of U.S. towns. What drives it

Below: maps from 1902 on and the census since 1960.

1802founded
0on the National Register
16%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Quick answers

How Big Beaver began

When was Big Beaver founded?

1802

Big Beaver dates its founding to 1802 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1960.

First census: 2,381 in 19602020 census: 1,852224 years

How historic is Big Beaver?

B

More historic than 57% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1892.
History grade

What drives Big Beaver’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Big Beaver is more historic than 57% of U.S. towns. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.

B
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Big Beaver’s overall grade.
Founding era1802, from Wikidata: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 194016.4% of homes (±8.6) · typical PA town 17.7% · U.S. 8.4%BNational RegisterNo listings counted · typical PA town 2.1 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 57%
NewerOlder

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 Big Beaver’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 1802.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C+ to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±8.6 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 Big Beaver’s past

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

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Big Beaver are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19025 editions of the USGS map, 1902 to 1990. Watch Big Beaver change.Boom and bustPeaked at 2,815 in 1980; 1,852 people lived here in 2020.Deep rootsEstablished in 1802: 224 years of Big Beaver.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Big Beaver’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Big Beaver on the map, 1902 to 1990

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

Big Beaver on the 1902 USGS mapBig Beaver on the 1957 USGS mapBig Beaver on the 1969 USGS mapBig Beaver on the 1979 USGS mapBig Beaver on the 1990 USGS map1902New Castle 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 Big Beaver.

People over time

Big Beaver, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0001960198020002020Peak: 2,815

Peaked at 2,815 in 1980; 1,852 people lived here in 2020.

7 censuses, 1960–2020.

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

The story so far

Big Beaver, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Big Beaver yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Big Beaver is a borough in northern Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,852 at the 2020 census. It is a part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The area was originally incorporated as Big Beaver Township in 1802, and was reincorporated as a borough in 1958.

Big Beaver was established in 1802. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 1,970 to 1,852 (-6%).

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Big Beaver in 1888

Passages that mention Big Beaver, cut from the printed page as they were published.

The rush in Big Beaver swept away the Fallston bridge, which, lodging against the old wooden bridge at Bridgewater, carried it down. Both swept against the railroad bridge of the C. & P. line, and the three then crashed against the P. & L. E. R. P. bridge, tearing out a number of the iron spans.
History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania1888 · page 153Read the page →
Read the text

The rush in Big Beaver swept away the Fallston bridge, which, lodging against the old wooden bridge at Bridgewater, carried it down. Both swept against the railroad bridge of the C. & P. line, and the three then crashed against the P. & L. E. R. P. bridge, tearing out a number of the iron spans.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Beaver was known first as " Beaver Point," but subsequently as " Stone's Point." Stephen Stone sold a large number of town lots at this site on the 18th of October, 1831, one range fronting on the bayou that cuts across from Big Beaver to the Ohio river, and another fronting on the alley running pa…
History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania1888 · page 504Read the page →
Read the text

Beaver was known first as " Beaver Point," but subsequently as " Stone's Point." Stephen Stone sold a large number of town lots at this site on the 18th of October, 1831, one range fronting on the bayou that cuts across from Big Beaver to the Ohio river, and another fronting on the alley running parallel with Beaver river. He announced that "all the islandf which lies immediately at the junction of Ohio and Big Beaver will also be laid out in small lots and sold."

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Beaver was known first as " Beaver Point," but subsequently as " Stone's Point." Stephen Stone sold a large number of town lots at this site on the 18th of October, 1831, one range fronting on the bayou that cuts across from Big Beaver to the Ohio river, and another fronting on the alley running pa…
History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania1888 · page 506Read the page →
Read the text

Beaver was known first as " Beaver Point," but subsequently as " Stone's Point." Stephen Stone sold a large number of town lots at this site on the 18th of October, 1831, one range fronting on the bayou that cuts across from Big Beaver to the Ohio river, and another fronting on the alley running parallel with Beaver river. He announced that "all the islandf which lies immediately at the junction of Ohio and Big Beaver will also be laid out in small lots and sold."

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The rush in Big Beaver swejit away the Fallston In-idge, which, lodging against the old wooden bridge at Bridgewater, carried it down. Both swept against tiie railroad liridge of the G. & P. line, and the three then crashed against the P. it L. E. P. K. bridge, tearing out a number of tiie iron spa…
History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania1888 · page 151Read the page →
Read the text

The rush in Big Beaver swejit away the Fallston In-idge, which, lodging against the old wooden bridge at Bridgewater, carried it down. Both swept against tiie railroad liridge of the G. & P. line, and the three then crashed against the P. it L. E. P. K. bridge, tearing out a number of tiie iron spans.

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

Big Beaver, 1802 to 1980

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1802
    FoundingBig Beaver is established
  3. 1892Post officeThe Hoytdale post office opens
  4. 20th century
  5. 1902On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  6. 1904Post officeThe Hoytdale post office closes
  7. 1980CensusPopulation peaks at 2,815
By decade

Big Beaver, decade by decade

Today13 recent
PA Turnpike Beaver River Bridge construction, June 20242024PA Turnpike Beaver River Bridge construction, June 20…PA 18 sb on Big Beaver-Koppel border, June 20242024PA 18 sb on Big Beaver-Koppel border, June 2024PA 18 sb approaching I-76 wb, June 20242024PA 18 sb approaching I-76 wb, June 2024I-376 wb at mp 27.3, May 20242024I-376 wb at mp 27.3, May 2024Entering Homewood, PA from north (1), June 20242024Entering Homewood, PA from north (1), June 20242022-05-15 08 38 00 View north along Pennsylvania State Route 551 (Wallace Run Road) at Shenango Road in20222022-05-15 08 38 00 View north along Pennsylvania Sta…2022-05-15 08 24 56 View west along Pennsylvania State Route 351 (Fairlane Boulevard) at Shenango Road in20222022-05-15 08 24 56 View west along Pennsylvania Stat…Primitive Methodist Church of Beaver Falls2009Primitive Methodist Church of Beaver FallsPennsylvania Route 18 north of Homewood2009Pennsylvania Route 18 north of HomewoodPennsylvania State Route 182008Pennsylvania State Route 18Pennsylvania Turnpike eastbound at Homewood Viaduct2006Pennsylvania Turnpike eastbound at Homewood ViaductPennsylvania State Route 182006Pennsylvania State Route 18PA 60 toll signage prior to 20092006PA 60 toll signage prior to 2009
Famous people

Famous people close to Big Beaver

Nobody well known was born in Big Beaver itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
T
Thomas MidgleyAmerican chemist and engineer · b. 1889
Joe NamathAmerican football player · b. 1943
T
Tony LipAmerican actor · b. 1930
Shane DouglasAmerican professional wrestler and promoter · b. 1964
Dick AllenAmerican baseball player and singer · b. 1942
Jim GerlachAmerican politician · b. 1955
Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners and burying grounds

Another post office, Hoytdale, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Hoytdale
6cemeteries and burying grounds inside Big Beaver
GrandviewHomewoodMount PleasantReformed Presbyterian White ChurchRocky SpringSaint Teresa

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Chippewa TownshipIts storyB−North Sewickley Township1 historic placeA−KoppelIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townBeaver Falls1 historic placeB+New BeaverIts storyB−West MayfieldIts storyCDarlington TownshipIts storyB+

Questions about Big Beaver’s history

What year was Big Beaver founded?

In 1802, according to Wikidata. Big Beaver’s post office opened in 1892, and the census of 1960 counted 2,381 people here.

How does Big Beaver rank for history?

Big Beaver is more historic than 57% of U.S. towns. 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 Big Beaver?

16% of Big Beaver’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±8.6 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1962.

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 (13), 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 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.