Greencastle dates to 1782, and 28% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 96% of U.S. towns · #108 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
2 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 346 buildings. Below: 8 old photos and papers, maps from 1885 on, and the census since 1840.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1797.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Greencastle’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Greencastle is more historic than 96% of U.S. towns, #108 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its age lowest.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Greencastle’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 Greencastle’s 827 sits above most of its state (97% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 349 historic buildings outnumber those of 96% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±6.9 points). Two sources give 1782.
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 Greencastle’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Every building
Greencastle, building by building, 1885–1915
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.
James Patton, who came to America at age 17 and moved to North Carolina in 1793, started the settlement of Canogege (spelled "Conegoge" by George P. Donahoo). Patton said in an 1839 letter to his descendants that the place was "settled by a moral and orderly people."
Greencastle was founded in 1783 by John Allison from the Barkdoll House. The town was named after Greencastle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It was originally composed of 246 lots. By 1790 there were about 60 houses in Greencastle, homes to approximately 400 people. The town of Greencastle had grown by the mid-nineteenth century to 1,125 residents.
Passages that mention Greencastle, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania1887 · page 542Read the page →
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May 8, 1769, he conveyed the land to his son, Col. John Allison, who platted and laid out the village of Greencastle in 1782. It acquired its name, most probably, from a place called Greencastle, in County Donegal, Ireland. Aia, Se
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania1887 · page 562Read the page →
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In 1772 John Crunkleton laid out a town on the road from ‘‘Conococheague settlement," (which afterward became Greencastle) toward Waynes. boro, about two miles east of Greencastle. He named the town '' Crunkleton."' Several lots were sold, three houses built and a tavern, by George Clark; another, a store, by John Lawrence. This was the maximum of the town’s growth. Two of the houses were moved away an1 the place became a part of Benjamin Snively’s farm. There is no mark now left, except one house, to indicate it ever was a village.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Franklin county, Pennsylvania1887 · page 562Read the page →
Read the text
In 1772 John Crunkleton laid out a town on the road from " Conoco - cheague settlement," (which afterward became Greencastle) toward Waynes boro, about two miles east of Greencastle. He named the town "Crunkleton Several lots were sold, three houses built and a tavern, by George Clark; another, a store, by John Lawrence. This was the maximum of the town's growth. Two of the houses were moved away and the place became a part of Benjamin Snively's farm. There. is no mark now left, except one house, to indicate it ever was a village.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Franklin county, Pennsylvania1887 · page 550Read the page →
Read the text
An early school-teacher in the town of Greencastle was Robert Allen. He taught a school here in 1812; he was noted for his fine penmanship; he had formerly clerked in a wholesale flour establishment in Boston. His outfit was so remarkable for that day and attracted such keen interest we are unable to describe it: a splendid rifle and sword, excellent violin, a gold watch and clothes of latest cut. He was a bachelor, intelligent, companionable, and, for that day, a further mark distinguished him from teachers — he was not a member of any church.
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
Greencastle, 1782 to 1980
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.
In 1782, according to Wikidata. Greencastle’s post office opened in 1797, and the census of 1840 counted 931 people here.
How does Greencastle rank for history?
Greencastle is more historic than 96% of U.S. towns, #108 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 Greencastle?
Two places: the Mitchell-Shook House (listed 1980) and the Greencastle Historic District (1992).
How old are the homes in Greencastle?
28% of Greencastle’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.9 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1968.
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 (12), the National Register of Historic Places (2), 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, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) 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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c. 1930
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1980
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