Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1893.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Hellam Township’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Hellam Township is more historic than 85% of U.S. towns, #256 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Hellam 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 Hellam Township’s 6.7 sits above most of its state (71% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 4 historic buildings outnumber those of 68% 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 (±7.0 points). Two sources give 1721.
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 Hellam Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The Mifflin House, an Underground Railroad site in the township dating to the 1700s, was used by the Mifflin family in the 19th century to "hide freedom-seekers and ferry them across the Susquehanna River on their way to Philadelphia." The house was sold into the Huber family in 1856, who sold it to the Blessing family in 1959. As of May 2017, the property was at risk of demolition for development of a business park. By December 2017, a funding campaign was started to help pay for a legal challenge to save the property, reportedly eligible to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In July 2018, a York County Court of Common Pleas judge ruled in favor of a township zoning officer's decision (and zoning hearing board's support) to deny a demolition permit for the house. The developer appealed the decision to the Commonwealth Court. In February 2019, township supervisors ap…
Passages that mention Hellam Township, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of York County, Pennsylvania1886 · page 77Read the page →
Read the text
Annias F., William, Mary E., Susanna, Franklin C, Bird J. and Margaret. Mr. Hiestand came to Hellam Township in 1866, owns thirty-eight acres in Hellam Township and 307 acres in Heidelberg Township, is re.tired at present on his homestead in Hellam Township, and owes his prosperous condition to his own energy and industry. He is a very liberal man, especially to churches and benevolent
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of York County Pennsylvania From the Earliest Time to the Present1886 · page 79Read the page →
Read the text
brother John and sister Rosaha, and, arriving at Philadelphia, he moved to Peckway Creek, Lancaster County, where he lived several years, when he moved to Hellam Township, York County, (near Stoner's Station). He lived several years in Hellam, when he again moved to Lower Windsor Township, on the road leading from Wrightsville to Margaretta Furnace. Mr. Kocher's father was
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of York County, Pennsylvania1886 · page 79Read the page →
Read the text
brother John and sister Rosana, and, arriving at Philadelphia, he moved to Peckway Creelr, Lancaster County, where he lived several years, when he moved to Hellam Township, York Count j;, (near Stoner's Station). He lived several years in Hellam, when he again moved to Lower Windsor Township, on the road leading from Wrightsville to Margaretta Furnace. Mr. Kocher's father was
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.
By decade
No old photos in the archives yet
Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Be the first to add onePhotograph a print flat, in daylight, no flash.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Hellam Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1908Middletown 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 Hellam Township.
On the National Register
1 listing protects 4 historic buildings
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
In 1721, according to Wikidata. Hellam Township’s post office opened in 1893, and the census of 1850 counted 1,528 people here.
How does Hellam Township rank for history?
Hellam Township is more historic than 85% of U.S. towns, #256 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 Hellam Township?
One place: the Codorus Forge and Furnace Historic District (listed 1991).
How old are the homes in Hellam Township?
12% of Hellam Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.0 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1977.
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 the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, 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.
