On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Fountain Hill is more historic than 75% of U.S. towns, #394 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Fountain Hill’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 Fountain Hill’s 4.1 sits near the middle of its state (65% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 2 historic buildings outnumber those of 60% 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 (±6.4 points). Two sources give 1893.
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 Fountain Hill’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Fountain Hill. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1894Allentown 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 Fountain Hill.
The region which would become Fountain Hill was home to Lenape Indians prior to its acquisition by William Penn for his sons, Thomas, John and Richard in 1681. The Penns hired a pioneer, Nicholas Doll, to settle the land, building the first structure there in 1739. The deed for the land was passed to several farming families before being sold to the Moravians in newly-established Bethlehem in 1743. Moravians owned present-day Fountain Hill for 32 years. Over a century after the purchase the area consisted of non-Moravian tenant farmer, the largest of which was a 147-acre farm owned by the Hoffert family. The farm house was built in 1755 by Cornelius Weygandt and remains the oldest standing structure in the borough.
In 1893, according to Wikidata. the census of 1900 counted 1,214 people here.
How does Fountain Hill rank for history?
Fountain Hill is more historic than 75% of U.S. towns, #394 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 Fountain Hill?
One place: the Lehigh Valley Silk Mills (listed 1993).
How old are the homes in Fountain Hill?
43% of Fountain Hill’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.4 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1947.
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 (4), 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) 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.
2025
2014
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2013