On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Fairfield Township is more historic than 28% of U.S. towns, #954 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
C
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Fairfield Township’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 Fairfield Township’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (25% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±6.3 points).
Founding year: our sources. 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 Fairfield Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The exact date of the formation of Fairfield Township is not known, but court records point to sometime between August 1825 and December 1826. A petition for the division of Muncy Township was read in court in August 1825. Historical records do not record when the township was formed, but court documents cite Fairfield Township as the residence of a defendant in a lawsuit in a Columbia County court session in 1826.
Passages that mention Fairfield Township, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania1929 · page 213Read the page →
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Upper Fairfield Township.—Lying directly north of Fairfield, and of about the same size, is Upper Fairfield Township. In 1851, when there were not as many roads through that section as now, the inhabitants petitioned the court to divide Fairfield Township into two parts as there was too much inconvenience for collectors and assessors in getting around. The petition was granted September 12, 1851, and a new township set off. It was at first given the name of Pollock in honor of James
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania1929 · page 212Read the page →
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until his death. It was subsequently purchased by Charles Lloyd and his brother, Colonel Thomas W. Lloyd, first, lived there for many years and died there. Henry Rawle at one time state treasurer, owned a fine home in Fairfield Township near the river and Charles Lloyd’s fine old mansion was also one of the show places of its day but was afterwards taken into the borough of Montoursville. There are no towns or villages in Fairfield Township except the small hamlet of Farragut on
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.
By decade
Fairfield Township, decade by decade
One decade in the archive so far: the 1880s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
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.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Fairfield Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1930Warrensville 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 Fairfield 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.
Retake this view1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Pennsylvania - Lycoming County - Fairfield - ED 41-13, 1880
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Fairfield Township’s page.
Fairfield Township is more historic than 28% of U.S. towns, #954 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.
How old are the homes in Fairfield Township?
10% of Fairfield Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.3 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1982.
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 (5), the Library of Congress (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, the USGS Geographic Names Information System 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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