Photo: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0

History · Ford City

Ford City dates to 1887, and 48% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 73% of U.S. towns · #431 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it

Its Register listing is the Ford City Armory. Below: 4 old photos and papers, maps from 1899 on, and the census since 1890.

1887founded

1on the National Register

48%homes built before 1940

4old photos & papers

8famous people

Add an old photo Share a memory

From Ford City’s archive · credits on each photo

Quick answers

How Ford City began

When was Ford City founded?

1887

Ford City dates its founding to 1887 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1890.

First census: 1,255 in 18902020 census: 2,859139 years

How historic is Ford City?

B⁺

More historic than 73% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓

Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1888.The full story ↓

History grade

What drives Ford City’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Ford City is more historic than 73% of U.S. towns, #431 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.

B⁺

HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Ford City’s overall grade.

Founding era1887, from Wikidata: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC⁺Homes built before 194047.6% of homes (±7.8) · typical PA town 17.7% · U.S. 8.4%A⁺National Register1 listing, 3.6 per 10,000 residents · typical PA town 2.1 · U.S. 2.4B

All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 73%

NewerOlder

Pennsylvania towns of 2,500+ (1,035)Ahead of 58%

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 Ford City’s 3.6 sits near the middle of its state (63% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C+ to A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±7.8 points). Two sources give 1887.

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 Ford City’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 4 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19005 editions of the USGS map, 1900 to 1993. Watch Ford City change.Boom and bustPeaked at 6,127 in 1930; 2,859 people lived here in 2020.Mapped building by building5 fire insurance maps, 1899 to 1921, drew every building in Ford City.

★ What stands out · Help out

Start Ford City’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Ford City’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos

00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s

0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.

Retake an old viewFord City, Armstrong County Pennsylvani…: stand where they stood+15 Share a family photoSign in to add one+10

On the map

Ford City on the map, 1900 to 1993

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

1900Kittanning 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 Ford City.

People over time

Ford City, census by census

Peaked at 6,127 in 1930; 2,859 people lived here in 2020.

14 censuses, 1890–2020.

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

The story

How Ford City came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Ford City.

Read it all →

Ford City came into being from the plans of Captain John B. Ford (1811-1903), an industrialist interested in establishing a plate-glass industry. In prior endeavors, Ford had owned and operated, among many things, a river shipping line from which he drew his capital. The site upon which Ford City is located consisted roughly 460 acres broken primarily into three farms owned by Ross, Spencer and Graff families.

ChaptersFounding Early history Recent History Future Developments

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Ford City, 1887 to 1930

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

19th century
1887
FoundingFord City is established
1888Post officeThe Ford City post office opens
1896In the archiveFord City, Armstrong County Pennsylvania., 1896
1896Born hereJohn F. Hunter is born here
20th century
1900On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
1908Born hereMary Beck is born here
1916Born hereRed Mihalik is born here
1920Born hereRaymond Harvey is born here
1930CensusPopulation peaks at 6,127

By decade

Ford City, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1890s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1890s4 items

1896Ford City, Armstrong County Pennsylvania., 1896

1896Ford City, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, 1896

1900s–1990snothing yet

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.

Add from your album

Every building

Ford City, building by building, 1899–1921

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.

Ford City fire insurance map, 1899, sheet 1

1899Sheet 1 of 5

Edition

Sheets

+4 more at the Library of Congress

BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

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 viewFord City, Armstrong County Pennsylvania., 1896, 1896

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Ford City’s page.

Retake this view · +15

On the National Register

1 historic place in Ford City

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed

National Historic Landmarks

none yet

historic buildings protected

each building in a district counts

first listed

1989

Ford City Armory

Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Moderne1

Ford City ArmoryModerne

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Famous people

8 famous people were born in Ford City

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →

Mary BeckAmerican politician · b. 1908

John F. HunterAmerican politician · b. 1896

Raymond HarveyUnited States Army Medal of Honor recipient · b. 1920

Red MihalikAmerican basketball player · b. 1916

Charlie SchmausAmerican basketball player and coach · b. 1944

William W. PendletonAmerican politician · b. 1940

Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Manor TownshipIts storyC⁺Lenape HeightsIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town North Buffalo TownshipIts storyC Ford CliffIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Ford City’s history

What year was Ford City founded?

In 1887, according to Wikidata. Ford City’s post office opened in 1888, and the census of 1890 counted 1,255 people here.

How does Ford City rank for history?

Ford City is more historic than 73% of U.S. towns, #431 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 Ford City?

One place: the Ford City Armory (listed 1989).

How old are the homes in Ford City?

48% of Ford City’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.8 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1942.

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).

From Wikimedia Commons (32), the National Register of Historic Places (1), 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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