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History · Breinigsville

Breinigsville’s post office opened in 1830

Most of Breinigsville was built recently: 3% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 2005. Below: maps from 1902 on and the census since 2000.

1830first post office
0on the National Register
3%homes built before 1940
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Photo: CyberXRef · CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answers

How Breinigsville began

When was Breinigsville founded?

1830

The Breinigsville post office opened in 1830, the earliest record of the town by name.

First census: 1,660 in 20002020 census: 7,495196 years
Founding year: the first Breinigsville post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓

What stands out about Breinigsville’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 Breinigsville are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19026 editions of the USGS map, 1902 to 1999. Watch Breinigsville change.Deep rootsA post office since 1830: 196 years of Breinigsville.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Breinigsville’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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On the map

Breinigsville on the map, 1902 to 1999

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

Breinigsville on the 1902 USGS mapBreinigsville on the 1942 USGS mapBreinigsville on the 1957 USGS mapBreinigsville on the 1965 USGS mapBreinigsville on the 1972 USGS mapBreinigsville on the 1999 USGS map1902Slatington 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 Breinigsville.

The story

How Breinigsville came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Breinigsville.

Read it all →

Breinigsville was named for George Ludwig Breinig (January 31, 1733 – May 12, 1812), a German immigrant who came to the United States on board the ship Lydia, arriving in Philadelphia on October 13, 1749. He originally settled in Weisenberg Township (tax records show he was assessed 9 pounds in 1762). On May 10, 1771, Breinig purchased around 100 acres (40 ha) of land and a stone dwelling for 700 pounds from Peter and Catherine Trexler of Trexlertown. He resided on that land until his death.

Chapters18th century19th century20th century21st century

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Breinigsville, decade by decade

Today6 recent
Breinigsville old section2014Breinigsville old sectionBreinigsville new part2014Breinigsville new partBreinigsville new dev2014Breinigsville new devBreinigsville 22014Breinigsville 2Breinigsville, PA, USA2012Breinigsville, PA, USABarn Style (1)2012Barn Style (1)
People over time

Breinigsville, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,000200020207,495

Grew from 1,660 people in 2000 to 7,495 in 2020, 4 times over.

3 censuses, 2000–2020.

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

Famous people

Famous people close to Breinigsville

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

See all →
Amanda SeyfriedAmerican actress · b. 1985
Lil PeepAmerican rapper · b. 1996
Dane DeHaanAmerican actor · b. 1986
Keith JarrettAmerican jazz/classical pianist and composer · b. 1945
Lee IacoccaAmerican businessman · b. 1924
Michaela ConlinAmerican actress · b. 1978
Stories next door

History across the town line

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

TrexlertownIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townUpper Macungie TownshipIts storyC−Lower Macungie Township1 historic placeC+Longswamp Township3 historic placesA

Questions about Breinigsville’s history

What year was Breinigsville founded?

The Breinigsville post office opened in 1830, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

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). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps and U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.