Easton dates to 1752, and 63% of its homes were built before 1940
Among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns · #7 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
12 places in town are on the National Register, among them three historic districts with 1,264 buildings between them. Below: 10 old photos and papers, maps from 1885 on, and the census since 1790.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1792.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Easton’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Easton is among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns, #7 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. All 3 inputs put Easton near the top nationally; its share of homes from before 1940 ranks highest.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Easton’s 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 Easton’s 427 sits above most of its state (94% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 1,271 historic buildings outnumber those of 99% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1752.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would still be A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.9 points).
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 Easton’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The Lenape Native Americans originally referred to present-day Easton and its surrounding region as Lechauwitank, meaning "the Place at the Forks".
The land that includes present-day Easton was obtained from the Lenape in the Walking Purchase in 1737. A plaque commemorating the transaction appears in Easton's town square.
Thomas Penn set aside a 1,000-acre (4 km2) tract of land at the confluence of the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers for the town's establishment, and the city was formally founded in 1752. The same year, Easton was selected as the county seat of Northampton County. The municipality's street and town plan were first laid out by the surveyor William Parsons, who was commissiined by Penn.
Passages that mention Easton, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Northampton County [Pennsylvania] and the grand valley of the Lehigh under supervision and revision of William J. Heller, assisted by an advisory board of editors..1920 · page 90Read the page →
Read the text
Philadelphia. He was a director of the Easton National Bank for fourteen years, vice-president, 1915, and acting president from August, 1917, to October, 1917, when he resigned all his bank offices. He is secretary-treasurer of the Easton and South Easton Suspension Bridge Company ; secretary-treasurer of the Lehigh Bridge Company, and the Weygadt Mountain Railroad Companj". On June 22, 1917, he was appointed a member of the United .States Selective Service Board, and to the duties of that office he has given devoted attention until the end of the war rendered the duties viseless. His
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Northampton County [Pennsylvania] and the grand valley of the Lehigh under supervision and revision of William J. Heller, assisted by an advisory board of editors..1920 · page 48Read the page →
Read the text
Returning to the American ancestor, Captain Melchoir Hay, the records show that with two brothers he came to Pennsylvania in 1738, located on land now a part of South Easton, and in 1752 aided in the layout of the town of Easton. In 1771 he bought twenty-six acres from Israel Morris of Philadelphia, and later in the same year three hundred and seventy-five acres from Peter Rush, all being formerly owned by William Penn. This property was bought outright, as shown by the deed dated August, 1771, and was held by Captain Hay until 1796, when he sold it. His public spirit was
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of the One hundred and fifty-third regiment Pennsylvania volunteers infantry which was recruited in Northampton County, Pa., 1862-18631909 · page 14Read the page →
Read the text
of Bethlehem, will show the assignments and official list complete. The first meeting for organization of the Regiment took place in Easton on the 226. of September, 1862. The days of the 23d and 24th were spent in the City of Easton in completing the formation, and on the 25th we took train for Harrisburg where the regiment arrived at 10 o'clock in the evening, remaining in the cars for the nisfht. On the mornine; of the 26th
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.
Timeline
Easton, 1752 to 1984
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
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.
In 1752, according to Wikidata. Easton’s post office opened in 1792, and the first U.S. census counted 708 people here in 1790.
How does Easton rank for history?
Easton is among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns, #7 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 Easton?
12 listings: 8 buildings, 3 historic districts, the Easton Historic District, the Easton Cemetery and the College Hill Residential Historic District, with 1,264 contributing buildings, and 1 structure. 1,271 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Easton?
63% of Easton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.9 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 (3), the Library of Congress (7), Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (12), 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, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) 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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