Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1923 on and the census since 1870.
The Blooming Valley post office opened in 1835, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1845.
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 Blooming Valley’s history is told.
Lost a third of its people between 1880 and 1920, then more than doubled.
16 censuses, 1870–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Blooming Valley’s Wikipedia page.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Blooming Valley yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Blooming Valley is a borough in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 342 at the 2020 census, up from 337 at the 2010 census.
Its first post office opened in 1835. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 337 to 344 (+2%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
Passages that mention Blooming Valley, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The borough of Blooming Valley Was incorporated by order of the Court of Quarter Sessions May 17, 1867, on the favorable report of the grand jury appointed to investigate the expediency of its incorporation. The court further directed that the first election be held on the first Tuesday of June, 1867. James A. Heard was appointed to give due notice of the election; A.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Francis C. Waid is now owner of 300 acres of land under a high state of cultivation, located on the State road five miles east of Sleadville and one mile from the village of Blooming Valley. There are six buildings on the main farm used for the storage of hay and grain; the main barn is 32x88 feet, the horse bam 28x36, connected with the main barn by a shed 10x48 feet.. On the farm is a large cider-mill that has been in use since 1858. For grinding purposes, horse-power is used, and the first building erected by Ira C. Waid was in 1858, the two-story 24x30 feet structure, substantially put together but so
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
following year, died of hemorrhage of the lungs at the residence of her father, and John Hays, oui' subject. David Culbertson in 1848 sold his farm in Richmond Township, and purchased one of about 100 acres in and adjoining the borough of Blooming Valley. In connection with this farm there was a hotel property, both of which interests he operated until about the year 1855, at which time he leased his hotel and for some years thereafter gave his exclusive attention to farming. In about the year 1866, feeling that himself and wife, both of whom were getting pretty well advanced in years, should lead a less
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.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Blooming Valley. 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 Blooming Valley.
Nobody well known was born in Blooming Valley itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
Blooming Valley had its own post office from 1835 to 1917.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
The Blooming Valley post office opened in 1835, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1845.
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). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (2), 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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