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History · Chalfant

Chalfant dates to 1901, and 18% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1904 on and the census since 1920.

1901founded
0on the National Register
18%homes built before 1940
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Photo: Lee Paxton · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers

How Chalfant began

When was Chalfant founded?

1901

Chalfant dates its founding to 1901 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1920.

First census: 1,044 in 19202020 census: 748125 years
Founding year: Wikidata.

What stands out about Chalfant’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 Chalfant are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Boom and bustPeaked at 1,414 in 1960; 748 people lived here in 2020.On the map since 19044 editions of the USGS map, 1904 to 1979. Watch Chalfant change.Old housesHalf of Chalfant’s homes were built before 1956.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Chalfant’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Chalfant’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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People over time

Chalfant, census by census

02004006008001,0001,2001,400192019401960198020002020Peak: 1,414

Peaked at 1,414 in 1960; 748 people lived here in 2020.

11 censuses, 1920–2020.

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

On the map

Chalfant on the map, 1904 to 1979

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

Chalfant on the 1904 USGS mapChalfant on the 1953 USGS mapChalfant on the 1960 USGS mapChalfant on the 1979 USGS map1904Pittsburgh 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 Chalfant.

The story so far

Chalfant, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Chalfant yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Chalfant is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 748 at the 2020 census. The borough was named after the Chalfant family of early settlers.

Chalfant was established in 1901. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 800 to 748 (-7%).

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

Timeline

Chalfant, 1901 to 1960

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

  1. 20th century
  2. 1901
    FoundingChalfant is established
  3. 1904On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  4. 1960CensusPopulation peaks at 1,414
By decade

Chalfant, decade by decade

Today3 recent
Fairview from North in2015Fairview from North inParkwayStepsChalfantPA2010ParkwayStepsChalfantPAMap of Allegheny County PA Highlighting2007Map of Allegheny County PA HighlightingMap
Famous people

Famous people close to Chalfant

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

See all →
Jeff GoldblumAmerican actor and musician · b. 1952
Orrin HatchAmerican politician (1934–2022) – Former United… · b. 1934
Earl HinesAmerican jazz pianist · b. 1903
Aline MacMahonActress · b. 1899
Marc ConnellyAmerican playwright · b. 1890
Tom Ridge43rd Governor of Pennsylvania, first United Sta… · b. 1945
Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Wilkins TownshipIts storyB−

Questions about Chalfant’s history

What year was Chalfant founded?

In 1901, according to Wikidata. the census of 1920 counted 1,044 people here.

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 (3), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) 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.