Hampden Township dates to 1731, and 2 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 62% of U.S. towns · #581 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
Its Register listings are the Peace Church and the Johannes Eberly House. Most of Hampden Township was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1987. Below: maps from 1892 on and the census since 1970.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1849.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Hampden Township’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Hampden Township is more historic than 62% of U.S. towns, #581 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
B
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Hampden Township’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 Hampden Township’s 0.6 sits near the middle of its state (52% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 2 listings outnumber those of 60% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1731.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to A−. The pre-1940 share (±0.8 points) is firm at this size.
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 Hampden Township’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 Hampden Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1892Harrisburg 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 Hampden Township.
Prior to Hampden Township's incorporation in 1845, the area served as a community center in the form of the Historic Peace Church whose cornerstone was laid in 1798. During the Civil War, the township was the site of the Battle of Sporting Hill in 1863, the northernmost engagement of the Army of Northern Virginia and a part of the Gettysburg Campaign.
By 1960, Hampden Township was designated a Township of the First Class, reflecting its growing population of approximately 6,600. While much of the area remained farmland at the time, it was beginning to transition into a suburban community.
In 1731, according to Wikidata. Hampden Township’s post office opened in 1849, and the census of 1970 counted 11,847 people here.
How does Hampden Township rank for history?
Hampden Township is more historic than 62% of U.S. towns, #581 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 Hampden Township?
Two places: the Peace Church (listed 1972) and the Johannes Eberly House (1973).
How old are the homes in Hampden Township?
2% of Hampden Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1987.
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 Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (2), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) 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.
