Its Register listings are the Amos Kelly House and the Cambridge Springs Bridge. Below: 9 old photos and papers, maps from 1895 on, and the census since 1870.
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1868.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Cambridge Springs’ History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Cambridge Springs is more historic than 79% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Cambridge Springs’ overall grade.
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 Cambridge Springs’ 8.3 sits above most of its state (74% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 2 listings outnumber those of 60% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikipedia alone; no second source gives 1866.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±7.6 points).
Founding year: Wikipedia (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 Cambridge Springs’ past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The village of Cambridge was settled in 1822 and named for the town of Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was incorporated into the borough of Cambridgeboro on April 3, 1866.
In the late 19th century, Cambridgeboro was known for its mineral springs. The discovery of the springs eventually led to the borough being renamed to Cambridge Springs on April 1, 1897. It was a resort town featuring a variety of hotels including the Rider Hotel, which burned down in 1931. The last of these hotels, the Riverside Inn, burned down on May 2, 2017, and had been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1978. Also listed on the National Register of Historic Places are the Cambridge Springs Bridge and Amos Kelly House.
Cambridge Springs, building by building, 1895–1911
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
On the map
Cambridge Springs on the map, 1923 to 1975
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Cambridge Springs. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1923Cambridge Springs 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 Cambridge Springs.
Timeline
Cambridge Springs, 1866 to 1930
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
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.
In 1866, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Cambridge Springs’ post office opened in 1868, and the census of 1870 counted 452 people here.
How does Cambridge Springs rank for history?
Cambridge Springs is more historic than 79% 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.
What is on the National Register in Cambridge Springs?
Two places: the Amos Kelly House (listed 1980) and the Cambridge Springs Bridge (1988).
How old are the homes in Cambridge Springs?
61% of Cambridge Springs’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.6 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1938.
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 (7), 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), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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