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A−History
History · Girardville

Girardville dates to 1832, and 71% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 78% of U.S. towns. What drives it

Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1889 on, and the census since 1880.

1832founded
0on the National Register
71%homes built before 1940
2old photos & papers
2famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Girardville’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Girardville began

When was Girardville founded?

1832

Girardville dates its founding to 1832 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1880.

First census: 2,730 in 18802020 census: 1,308194 years

How historic is Girardville?

A−

More historic than 78% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1864.
History grade

What drives Girardville’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Girardville is more historic than 78% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Girardville’s overall grade.
Founding era1832, from Wikidata: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 194070.5% of homes (±16.0) · typical PA town 17.7% · U.S. 8.4%A+National RegisterNo listings counted · typical PA town 2.1 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 78%
NewerOlder

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 Girardville’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 any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±16.0 points). Two sources give 1832.

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 Girardville’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 2 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18896 editions of the USGS map, 1889 to 1976. Watch Girardville change.Old housesHalf of Girardville’s homes were built before 1938.Boom and bustPeaked at 4,891 in 1930; 1,308 people lived here in 2020.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Girardville’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewGirardville, Pennsylvania: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Girardville on the map, 1889 to 1976

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

Girardville on the 1889 USGS mapGirardville on the 1892 USGS mapGirardville on the 1947 USGS mapGirardville on the 1953 USGS mapGirardville on the 1969 USGS mapGirardville on the 1976 USGS map1889Catawissa 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 Girardville.

The story so far

Girardville, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Girardville yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Girardville (nicknamed Guntown) is a borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States, 58 miles (93 km) northwest of Reading. Anthracite coal deposits are in the region. Coal-mining provided employment and incomes for many residents. As of the 2020 census, Girardville had a population of 1,308. It was founded in 1832 and is named after Stephen Girard of Philadelphia, who purchased large land holdings in and around the town. It was incorporated as a borough in 1872.

Girardville was established in 1832. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 1,519 to 1,308 (-14%).

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Girardville, 1907–1916

Passages that mention Girardville, cut from the printed page as they were published.

The subject of this memoir is the third of the family in order of birth. He received his scholastic training in the public schools of Girardville, completing a course in telegraphy at the same time he finished his other schooling. The first three years after graduation he was operator at Girardvill…
History of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania ... including a genealogical and biographical record of many families and persons in the county1907 · page 273Read the page →
Read the text

The subject of this memoir is the third of the family in order of birth. He received his scholastic training in the public schools of Girardville, completing a course in telegraphy at the same time he finished his other schooling. The first three years after graduation he was operator at Girardville for the Philadelphia & Reading road, and then served two years in the same capacity at Alaska. From. Jan. 8, 1900, until Dec. 22, 1902, he was station agent at GilbeVton, and then was promoted to the position of

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
May 27, 1893. After twelve years as assistant in Lithuania he came to America, arriving Oct. 8, 1905, and for three years was rector at St. George's, Philadelphia. On Jan. 22, 1909, he became rector of St. Francis' parish at Minersville, Pa., in May^ 1910, being transferred to Girardville, Schuylki…
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania1916 · page 301Read the page →
Read the text

May 27, 1893. After twelve years as assistant in Lithuania he came to America, arriving Oct. 8, 1905, and for three years was rector at St. George's, Philadelphia. On Jan. 22, 1909, he became rector of St. Francis' parish at Minersville, Pa., in May^ 1910, being transferred to Girardville, Schuylkill county, where he officiated for ten months, returning to his old charge in 191 1. In addition to the immediate duties of the parish he has charge of the mission at St. Clair, with about 120 families, and of that at Reading, with about thirty-five families, attending each once a month. During his pastorate he

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

Girardville, 1832 to 1935

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1832
    FoundingGirardville is established
  3. 1864Post officeThe Girardville post office opens
  4. 1889In the archiveGirardville, Pennsylvania
  5. 1889On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  6. 20th century
  7. 1904Born hereChick Fullis is born here
  8. 1923In the archiveGirardville PA St James Reformed PHS233
  9. 1930CensusPopulation peaks at 4,891
  10. 1935Born hereHarry Humes is born here
By decade

Girardville, decade by decade

2 decades in the archive, from the 1880s to the 1920s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1880s1 item
Girardville, Pennsylvania1889Girardville, Pennsylvania
1890s–1910snothing 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
1920s1 item
Girardville PA St James Reformed PHS2331923Girardville PA St James Reformed PHS233
1930s–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
Today19 recent
Hibernian House2023Hibernian HouseMain St, Girardville PA 062015Main St, Girardville PA 06Main St, Girardville PA 052015Main St, Girardville PA 05Main St, Girardville PA 042015Main St, Girardville PA 04Main St, Girardville PA 032015Main St, Girardville PA 03Main St, Girardville PA 022015Main St, Girardville PA 02Mahanoy Creek in2015Mahanoy Creek inMahanoy Ave, Girardville PA 012015Mahanoy Ave, Girardville PA 01Girardville Towers, Schuylkill Co PA 022015Girardville Towers, Schuylkill Co PA 02Girardville Towers, Schuylkill Co PA 012015Girardville Towers, Schuylkill Co PA 01Girardville Municipal Bldg, Schuylkill Co PA2015Girardville Municipal Bldg, Schuylkill Co PAGirard Hose Co No 12015Girard Hose Co No 1Girard Estate Office, Girardville PA 032015Girard Estate Office, Girardville PA 03Girard Estate Office, Girardville PA 022015Girard Estate Office, Girardville PA 02Girard Estate Office, Girardville PA 012015Girard Estate Office, Girardville PA 01Entrance to Girardville, Schuylkill Co PA2015Entrance to Girardville, Schuylkill Co PAAnthracite on Main St2015Anthracite on Main StUntitled photo2015Untitled photo2nd St, Girardville PA 0220152nd St, Girardville PA 02
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.

Girardville, Pennsylvania
Retake this viewGirardville, Pennsylvania, 1889

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

Retake this view · +15
People over time

Girardville, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0004,5005,00018801900192019401960198020002020Peak: 4,891

Peaked at 4,891 in 1930; 1,308 people lived here in 2020.

15 censuses, 1880–2020.

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

Famous people

2 famous people were born in Girardville

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

See all →
C
Chick FullisAmerican baseball player · b. 1904
H
Harry HumesAmerican writer · b. 1935

Questions about Girardville’s history

What year was Girardville founded?

In 1832, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Girardville’s post office opened in 1864, and the census of 1880 counted 2,730 people here.

How does Girardville rank for history?

Girardville is more historic than 78% of U.S. towns. 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 Girardville?

71% of Girardville’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±16.0 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1938.

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 (21), 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 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.