1 place in town is on the National Register, among them a historic district with 117 buildings. Below: 5 old photos and papers from 1850 on and old-book passages.
During the Gettysburg campaign in the American Civil War, the Battle of Fairfield played an important role in securing the Fairfield pass and the Hagerstown Road, enabling Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia to retreat through Fairfield towards the Potomac River. The actual fighting near Fairfield was between elements of the 6th United States Cavalry under Major Samuel Starr, and elements of General "Grumble" Jones' Brigade of Virginia Cavalry. The Union casualties were treated in the town of Fairfield, specifically in the homes of Mrs. Sarah Amanda Blythe, Rufus Christian Swope, and in what is now St. John's Lutheran Church. For more information on the town of Fairfield, see Fairfield In the Civil War, by Sarah Sites Thomas, Tim Smith, Gary Kross, and Dean S. Thomas.
Passages that mention Fairfield, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History and genealogy of the Mead family of Fairfield county, Connecticut, eastern New York, western Vermont, and western Pennsylvania from A.D. 1180 to 19001901 · page 12Read the page →
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Hempstead, it will be seen that Joseph returned to Stamford during the latter part of the year 1658, or the early part of 1659, otherwise his expenses would probably have been paid from Hempstead to Fairfield, instead of Stamford to Fairfield ; moreover we find in the court records of the New Haven Colony : 1659, May 25. Joseph Mead, of Stamford, a witness.
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history of adams county pennsylvania.1886 · page 283Read the page →
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The building of the Fairfield branch of the ‘‘ Tapeworm Railroad”’ is only a matter of a little time. The road was surveyed by Joseph 8S. Gitt. and in January, 1886, a proposition was made to the people of Fairfield by the Hanover Junction, Hanover & Gettysburg Railroad Company, that if they would furnish 6,000 good ties, the right of way, and $3,500 in money, they would build the road.
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history of adams county pennsylvania.1886 · page 282Read the page →
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The New Reformed Church of Fairfield was dedicated December 29, 1878. This is modern gothic, with audience room 55x35 feet and tower 95 feet in height, standing on the site of the old Union Reformed and Presbyterian Church erected in 1824, and which was blown down the same year. The second church was built in 1825 and continued in use until 1878. The Presbyterians may hold services in this church until 1888, in consideration of their claims against the old Union building and grounds.
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Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Fairfield, 1798 to 1989
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.
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.
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 (6), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), 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.
1989
1989
2009