Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 91% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Its Register listing is the Perry County Courthouse. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1907 on, and the census since 1840.
Bloomfield dates its founding to 1823 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1840.
More historic than 91% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Bloomfield is more historic than 91% of U.S. towns. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its share of homes from before 1940 ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.
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 Bloomfield’s 9.2 sits above most of its state (76% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.
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 →
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Bloomfield’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Bloomfield. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Bloomfield.
From Wikipedia’s history of Bloomfield.
New Bloomfield was laid out in 1823, and named for the blooming clovers near the original town site. A post office called New Bloomfield has been in operation since 1825.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Bloomfield, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Bloomfield Presbyterian Church. When the new town of Bloomfield was laid out the members of the Presbyterian faith residing in the vicinity had been attendants at either the Middle Ridge or Limestone Ridge, sometimes known as "Sam Fisher's Church," both of which were distant points.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Bloomfield Presbyterian Church. When the new town of Bloomfield was laid out the members of the Presbyterian faith residing in the vicinity had been attendants at either the Middle Ridge or Limestone Ridge, sometimes known as “Sam Fisher’s Church,” both of which were distant points.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
In the meantime, on April 17, 1866, the Duncannon, Bloomfield & Broad Top Railroad Company was incorporated, with a capital of $1,000,000, and with power to construct a railroad from a point at or near Duncannon, Perry County, to a point at Broad Top Mountain, in Bedford County, via New Bloomfield, and with the authority to connect with any railroad at either end. On February 27, 1868, the amount of the capital was reduced to $750,000, and the route changed so as to pass through Loysville. The incorpo-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
In the meantime, on April 17, 1866, the Duncannon, Bloomfield & Broad ‘Top Railroad Company was incorporated, with a capital of $1,000,000, and with power to construct a railroad from a point at or near Duncannon, Perry County, to a point at Broad Top Mountain, in Bedford County, via New Bloomfield, and with the authority to connect with any railroad at either end. On February 27, 1868, the amount of the capital was reduced to $750,000, and the route changed so as to pass through Loysville. The incorpo-
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.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Born hereBenjamin K. Focht is born here
In the archiveJohn Earle, head-and-shoulders portrait, facing slightly left
Born hereRobert Neilson Stephens is born here
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
Born hereSkee Riegel is born here
In the archiveNew Bloomfield PA Presby PHS4022 decades in the archive, from the 1860s to the 1920s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Bloomfield’s page.
Retake this view · +15The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Between 412 and 1,247 people in every census since 1840.
19 censuses, 1840–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Bloomfield’s Wikipedia page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
In 1823, according to Wikidata. Bloomfield’s post office opened in 1825, and the census of 1840 counted 412 people here.
Bloomfield is more historic than 91% 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.
One place: the Perry County Courthouse (listed 1975).
47% of Bloomfield’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±12.0 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1943.
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
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 (11), the Library of Congress (1), 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 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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