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History · Heckscherville

Heckscherville’s post office opened in 1875, and 77% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1892 on.

1875first post office
0on the National Register
77%homes built before 1940
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Shuvaev · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers

How Heckscherville began

When was Heckscherville founded?

1875

The Heckscherville post office opened in 1875, the earliest record of the town by name.

2020 census: 196151 years
Founding year: the first Heckscherville post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓

What stands out about Heckscherville’s past

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

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Heckscherville are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18926 editions of the USGS map, 1892 to 1999. Watch Heckscherville change.Old housesHalf of Heckscherville’s homes were built before 1938.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Heckscherville’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Heckscherville on the map, 1892 to 1999

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

Heckscherville on the 1892 USGS mapHeckscherville on the 1947 USGS mapHeckscherville on the 1955 USGS mapHeckscherville on the 1969 USGS mapHeckscherville on the 1976 USGS mapHeckscherville on the 1999 USGS map1892Pine Grove 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 Heckscherville.

The story

How Heckscherville came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Heckscherville.

Read it all →

The earliest available history shows that in 1831 the entire Heckscherville valley contained only two villages. At this time the valley was called “Chapmanville” after the owners of the coal mines. In 1843 the Chapmanville interests were taken over by George and William Payne. Subsequently, the valley's name was changed to “Payne’s Patch”.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Heckscherville, 1849 to 1946

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1849Born hereAlbert Charles Peale is born here
  3. 1866Born hereAlexander J. Foley is born here
  4. 1892On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  5. 20th century
  6. 1946Born hereAloysius R. Callaghan is born here
By decade

Heckscherville, decade by decade

Today6 recent
Coal Mining near Heckscherville, Cass Twp, Schuylkill Co PA 062015Coal Mining near Heckscherville, Cass Twp, Schuylkill…Coal Mining near Heckscherville, Cass Twp, Schuylkill Co PA 052015Coal Mining near Heckscherville, Cass Twp, Schuylkill…Coal Mining near Heckscherville, Cass Twp, Schuylkill Co PA 042015Coal Mining near Heckscherville, Cass Twp, Schuylkill…Coal Mining near Heckscherville, Cass Twp, Schuylkill Co PA 032015Coal Mining near Heckscherville, Cass Twp, Schuylkill…Coal Mining near Heckscherville, Cass Twp, Schuylkill Co PA 022015Coal Mining near Heckscherville, Cass Twp, Schuylkill…Coal Mining near Heckscherville, Cass Twp, Schuylkill Co PA 012015Coal Mining near Heckscherville, Cass Twp, Schuylkill…
Famous people

3 famous people were born in Heckscherville

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

See all →
A
Albert Charles PealeGeologist · b. 1849
Alexander J. FoleyMarine Corps Medal of Honor recipient · b. 1866
A
Aloysius R. CallaghanAmerican Roman Catholic priest · b. 1946

Questions about Heckscherville’s history

What year was Heckscherville founded?

The Heckscherville post office opened in 1875, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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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). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people and U.S. Geological Survey historical maps. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.