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B+History
History · Bristol Township

Bristol Township dates to 1681, and 2 of its places are on the National Register

More historic than 72% of U.S. towns · #442 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it

Most of Bristol Township was built recently: 7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1958. Its Register listings are the Phineas Pemberton House and the White Hall of Bristol College. Below: 16 old photos and papers, maps from 1907 on, and the census since 1800.

1681founded
2on the National Register
7%homes built before 1940
16old photos & papers
1famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Bristol Township’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Bristol Township began

When was Bristol Township founded?

1681

Bristol Township dates its founding to 1681 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1800.

First census: 511 in 18002020 census: 54,291345 years

How historic is Bristol Township?

B+

More historic than 72% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1836.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Bristol Township’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Bristol Township is more historic than 72% of U.S. towns, #442 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.

B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Bristol Township’s overall grade.
Founding era1681, from Wikidata: founded before 1776, an older era than 96% of U.S. townsA+Homes built before 19407.0% of homes (±1.1) · typical PA town 17.7% · U.S. 8.4%C+National Register2 listings, 0.4 per 10,000 residents · typical PA town 2.1 · U.S. 2.4B
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 72%
NewerOlder
Pennsylvania towns of 2,500+ (1,035)Ahead of 57%

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 Bristol Township’s 0.4 sits near the middle of its state (51% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 2 listings outnumber those of 60% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C+ to A−. The pre-1940 share (±1.1 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1681.

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 Bristol Township’s past

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

Lost villages4 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Bristol Township, and 39 old place names are still on the map.Older than the countryEstablished in 1681, 95 years before the Declaration of Independence.A town in old photos16 old photos, postcards and papers, 1776–1956.On the map since 19073 editions of the USGS map, 1907 to 1982. Watch Bristol Township change.
★ What stands out · Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Four other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Newportville
1836–1955
Emilie
1856–1919
Edgely
1891–1905
Croyden
1927–1962
Levittown
1958–today
18301930today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Appletree HillBath AdditionBelardyBlue RidgeBristol Terrace Number OneBristol Terrace Number TwoCrabtree HollowCroydonCroydon AcresCroydon HeightsDogwood HollowEdgelyEmilieFarmbrookFergusonvilleGoldenridgeGreenbrookGrundys CornerHolly HillIndian CreekLevittownMagnolia HillMaple BeachMaple Shade
Gone or out of use
Croydon Post Officepost officeEmilie Post Officepost office
5cemeteries and burying grounds inside Bristol Township
BristolEmilie United Methodist ChurchMorris FamilySaint MarksSaint Thomas Aquinas Church

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

Timeline

Bristol Township, 1681 to 1955

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

  1. 17th century
  2. 1681
    FoundingBristol Township is established
  3. 18th century
  4. 1704Born hereThomas Godfrey is born here
  5. 1776In the archiveVerbindnis eines Lehrjungen
  6. 19th century
  7. 1802In the archiveRoad from Philadela. to New York, seg. 4-5
  8. 1836Post officeThe Newportville post office opens
  9. 1856Post officeThe Emilie post office opens
  10. 1870In the archiveEd. H. Radcliffe's (Frankford, Pa.) business map of Bristol, Bordentown, Burlington, and …
  11. 1880In the archive1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Pennsylvania - Bucks County - Bristol - ED 9-11 -…
  12. 1891In the archiveAtlas of Bucks Co., Penna
  13. 1891Post officeThe Edgely post office opens
  14. 20th century
  15. 1905Post officeThe Edgely post office closes
  16. 1906In the archivePRR 2443 Bristol 1906
  17. 1907On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  18. 1919Post officeThe Emilie post office closes
  19. 1955Post officeThe Newportville post office closes
By decade

Bristol Township, decade by decade

9 decades in the archive, from the 1770s to the 1950s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1770s–1800s6 items
Verbindnis eines Lehrjungen1776Verbindnis eines LehrjungenDocumentRoad from Philadela. to New York, seg. 4-51802Road from Philadela. to New York, seg. 4-5DocumentDevon in Pennsylv'a, the seat of Mr. Dallas - painted by T. Birch ; engraved & published by W. Birch, Springland near B…1808Devon in Pennsylv'a, the seat of Mr. Dallas - painted…DocumentMount Sidney, the seat of Genl. John Barker, Pennsylv'a - drawn, engraved & published by W. Birch, Springland near Bris…1808Mount Sidney, the seat of Genl. John Barker, Pennsylv…DocumentSedgley, the seat of Mr. Wm. Crammond, Pennsylv'a - drawn, engraved & published by W. Birch, Springland near Bristol, P…1808Sedgley, the seat of Mr. Wm. Crammond, Pennsylv'a - d…DocumentSolitude in Pennsylv'a, belonging to Mr. Penn - drawn, engraved & published by W. Birch, Springland near Bristol, Penns…1808Solitude in Pennsylv'a, belonging to Mr. Penn - drawn…Document
1870s–1900s5 items
Ed. H. Radcliffe's (Frankford, Pa.) business map of Bristol, Bordentown, Burlington, and Mount Holly1870Ed. H. Radcliffe's (Frankford, Pa.) business map of B…Map1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Pennsylvania - Bucks County - Bristol - ED 9-11 - ED 9-2418801940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Pennsylvania …1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Pennsylvania - Bucks County - Bristol - ED 9-11 - ED 9-2418801940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Pennsylvania …Atlas of Bucks Co., Penna1891Atlas of Bucks Co., PennaMapPRR 2443 Bristol 19061906PRR 2443 Bristol 1906
1920s–1950s5 items
Bristol PA Presby Ch PHS0851923Bristol PA Presby Ch PHS085Keystone LB-5 under construction 060417-F-1234P-0031927Keystone LB-5 under construction 060417-F-1234P-003Pennsylvania Railroad : Locomotive PRR 54351930Pennsylvania Railroad : Locomotive PRR 5435BALUSTRADE AT NEWELL - Lenox-Keene House, 710 Radcliffe Street1933BALUSTRADE AT NEWELL - Lenox-Keene House, 710 Radclif…Farmbrook Frolics by Ruth Truett in The Bristol Daily Courier of Bristol, Pennsylvania on October 22, 19561956Farmbrook Frolics by Ruth Truett in The Bristol Daily…
1960s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today2 recent
Delaware River2010Delaware RiverDelaware River Bristol (cropped)2010Delaware River Bristol (cropped)
The story

How Bristol Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Bristol Township.

Read it all →

Samuel Clift founded the Borough of Bristol, having received a land grant from Edmund Andros, who was then governor of New York. The grant became effective on March 14, 1681 (new style) or March 4, 1681 (old style) at the same time as William Penn's Charter from Charles II became effective. Clift was required by the grant to maintain ferry service across the Delaware River to Burlington, New Jersey, and to run a public house or inn. The inn later became known as the George II.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

On the map

Bristol Township on the map, 1907 to 1982

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

Bristol Township on the 1907 USGS mapBristol Township on the 1942 USGS mapBristol Township on the 1982 USGS map1907Trenton sheet · 1:125,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Bristol Township.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Pennsylvania - Bucks County - Bristol - ED 9-11 - ED 9-24
Retake this view1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Pennsylvania - Bucks County - Bristol - ED 9-11 - ED 9-24, 1880

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Bristol Township’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

2 historic places in Bristol Township

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
2
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
2
each building in a district counts
first listed
1971
Phineas Pemberton House
Phineas Pemberton HouseWhite Hall of Bristol College
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Georgian1
Neo-Classical1
Greek Revival1
Phineas Pemberton HouseGeorgian
White Hall of Bristol CollegeGreek Revival

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

Bristol Township, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00012,00014,00018001850190019502000Peak: 12,710

Between 511 and 12,710 people in every census since 1800.

23 censuses, 1800–2020.

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

Help out

Finish Bristol Township’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
4 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old view1940 Census Enumeration District Maps -…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Bristol9 historic placesA+Bensalem Township6 historic placesC+Croydon1 historic placenot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townMiddletown Township2 historic placesC+Levittown2 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townFalls Township3 historic placesB+Tullytown1 historic placeA−

Questions about Bristol Township’s history

What year was Bristol Township founded?

In 1681, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Bristol Township’s post office opened in 1836, and the census of 1800 counted 511 people here.

How does Bristol Township rank for history?

Bristol Township is more historic than 72% of U.S. towns, #442 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.

What is on the National Register in Bristol Township?

Two places: the Phineas Pemberton House (listed 1971) and the White Hall of Bristol College (1984).

How old are the homes in Bristol Township?

7% of Bristol Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.1 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1958.

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 (17), the Library of Congress (1), the National Register of Historic Places (2), 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) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.