Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Herndon. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1893Millersburg 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 Herndon.
The story so far
Herndon, in brief
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Herndon yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Herndon, formerly Trevorton Junction, is a borough along the Susquehanna River in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. Herndon was first founded by Robert A. Parrish in 1840. The town was later named for Naval commander William Lewis Herndon, who died in 1857 while trying to rescue passengers from his sinking ship. As of the 2020 census, Herndon had a population of 347.
Herndon was established in 1827. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 324 to 347 (+7%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
From the old history books
What they wrote about Herndon in 1891
Passages that mention Herndon, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania1891 · page 1236Read the page →
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throughout the United States. In 1853 he came to Georgetown for the purpose of getting out the stone for the railroad bridge at Hemdon; he was subsequently appointed foreman in the construction of the railroad between Trevorton and Herndon, afterwards bridge tender, and held the latter position until 1870, when the bridge was condemned and removed. "While he held this position he was also express agent and postmaster. Since the removal of the bridge Mr. Lamb has been connected with the postal service and engaged in various enterprises. He was married in 1858 to Susan
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History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania1891 · page 324Read the page →
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the latter company, was formally consolidated with the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company. March 2-3. ISTI. What was originally the Trevorton, Mahanoy and Susquehanna railroad thus became an integral part of the great Reading sy.stem, and forms part of the Herndon branch, with its western terminus at Herndon, on the line of the Northern Central railway, and stations at Trevorton, Zerbe, Dimkelberger's, Hunter, Dornsife, Otto, Kneass, and Herndon. The river bridge, which was adajited to wagon traffic as well as railway uses, became unsafe for travel through decay and
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History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, including its aboriginal history1891 · page 322Read the page →
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The Shamokin and Trevorton Railroad, extending from Shamokin to Trevorton, a distance of eight miles, was opened to travel on the 2d of August, 1869, when the running of through trains from Shamokin to Herndon was inaugurated. It is now operated as part of the Herndon branch of the Williamsport division, with stations at Shamokin, Water Station, Kulp's, and Trevorton.
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History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, including its aboriginal history1891Read the page →
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the latter company, was formally consolidated with the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, March 25, 1871. "What was originally the Trevorton, Mahanoy and Susquehanna railroad thus became an integral part of the great Reading system, and forms part of the Herndon branch, with its western terminus at Herndon, on the line of the Northern . Central railway, and stations at Trevorton, Zerbe, Dunkelberger's, Hunter, Domsife, Otto, Kneass, and Herndon. The river bridge, which was adapted to wagon traffic as weU as railway uses, became unsafe for travel through decay and
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
Herndon, 1827 to 1930
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
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 (1), 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.
2009
