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History · Jefferson

Jefferson dates to 1812, and 41% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1920 on and the census since 1850.

1812founded

0on the National Register

41%homes built before 1940

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Quick answers

How Jefferson began

When was Jefferson founded?

1812

Jefferson dates its founding to 1812 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1850.

First census: 164 in 18502020 census: 658214 years

Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1828.

What stands out about Jefferson’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 Jefferson are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19205 editions of the USGS map, 1920 to 1999. Watch Jefferson change.Deep rootsEstablished in 1812: 214 years of Jefferson.Old housesHalf of Jefferson’s homes were built before 1962.

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Start Jefferson’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos

00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s

0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.

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On the map

Jefferson on the map, 1920 to 1999

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

1920Hanover 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 Jefferson.

Timeline

Jefferson, 1812 to 1920

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

19th century
1812
FoundingJefferson is established
1828Post officeThe Codorus post office opens
1856Post officeThe Jefferson Station post office opens
1875Post officeThe Jefferson Station post office closes
20th century
1920On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey

The story so far

Jefferson, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Jefferson yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Jefferson is a borough in York County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 655 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the York–Hanover metropolitan area. The name of the post office serving Jefferson is Codorus.

Jefferson was established in 1812. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 733 to 658 (-10%).

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Jefferson, 1888–1905

Passages that mention Jefferson, cut from the printed page as they were published.

Turnpike Company authorized, to begin "at the northern termination of the Freeport and Kittanning turnpike road, on the top of the Mahoning hills, and continue by the most practical route, via the borough of Brookville, in Jefferson County, and the Brandy Camp, to the Milesburg and Smethport turnpi… — **A pioneer history of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania and my first recollections of Brookville, Pennsylvania, 1840-1843,**1898 · page 388Read the page →
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Turnpike Company authorized, to begin "at the northern termination of the Freeport and Kittanning turnpike road, on the top of the Mahoning hills, and continue by the most practical route, via the borough of Brookville, in Jefferson County, and the Brandy Camp, to the Milesburg and Smethport turnpike road, at or near Ridgeway, in Jefferson County. By same act James Kerr, Hance Robinson, Jacob Miller, of the county of Armstrong ; and Hiram Wilson, William Jack, John Dougherty, and Jacob Shaffer, of the county of Jefferson ; and Isaac Horton, Daniel
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.

By an act of Assembly of March 10, 1806, Jefferson County was annexed to the county of Indiana, and the authority of the county commissioners and other count)' officers of said Indiana County was extended over and within the county of Jefferson. Jefferson remained annexed to Indiana County until 18… — A pioneer outline history of northwestern Pennsylvania, embracing the counties of Tioga, Potter, McKean, Warren, Crawford, Venango, Forest, Clarion, Elk, Jefferson, Cameron, Butler, Lawrence, and Mercer1905 · page 285Read the page →
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By an act of Assembly of March 10, 1806, Jefferson County was annexed to the county of Indiana, and the authority of the county commissioners and other count)' officers of said Indiana County was extended over and within the county of Jefferson. Jefferson remained annexed to Indiana County until 1824, and for judicial purposes alone until, by act of Assembly, April 2, 1830, to org-anize the provisional county of Jefferson for judicial purposes, it was stipulated in Section 2 that the county should be attached to and form part of the Fourth Judicial District, and that the president judge of the
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.

mostly tiirough woods. They purchased land north and west of the Lucases, and formed what was afterwards known as the Irish Settlement; that at Troy was called the Yankee Settlement, and one further down the creek, in what is now Beaver township, of Jefferson, and Redbanl-, of Clarion county, was c… — **History of Jefferson county, Pennsylvania, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers**1888 · page 583Read the page →
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mostly tiirough woods. They purchased land north and west of the Lucases, and formed what was afterwards known as the Irish Settlement; that at Troy was called the Yankee Settlement, and one further down the creek, in what is now Beaver township, of Jefferson, and Redbanl-, of Clarion county, was called the Dutch Settlement. The Irish Settlement is just north of Diiwlingville. The buildings north of the creek a: Baxter Station are called Dowlingville ; those on the south side are called Baxter.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.

Commissioners of Jefferson county authorized to borrow money, not exceeding $45,000, and to issue bonds therefor, at rate of interest not exceeding eight per cent., to be appropriated to the payment of certain articles of settlement and compromise made by and between the county of Jefferson and the… — **History of Jefferson county, Pennsylvania, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers**1888 · page 90Read the page →
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Commissioners of Jefferson county authorized to borrow money, not exceeding $45,000, and to issue bonds therefor, at rate of interest not exceeding eight per cent., to be appropriated to the payment of certain articles of settlement and compromise made by and between the county of Jefferson and the Allegheny Valley Railroad Company. Act of 19th of February, 1870. — P. L., page 212.
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

Jefferson, decade by decade

Today3 recent

2015On the Circle Jefferson, York Co, PA

2015Jefferson Municipal Building York Co PA

2015Jefferson Keystone sign York Co PA

People over time

Jefferson, census by census

Between 164 and 733 people in every census since 1850.

18 censuses, 1850–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Jefferson’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

Famous people close to Jefferson

Nobody well known was born in Jefferson itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →

Rita Mae BrownNovelist, poet, screenwriter, activist · b. 1944

Ann RothAmerican costume designer · b. 1931

Isaac Newton LewisAmerican soldier and inventor of the Lewis gun · b. 1858

John Luther LongAmerican lawyer and writer · b. 1861

John Milton MillerAmerican electrical engineer · b. 1882

William F. GoodlingAmerican politician · b. 1927

Places that used to be

Lost post offices

Another post office, Jefferson Station, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Codorus

1828–today

Jefferson Station

1856–1875

18201920today

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Codorus Township2 historic placesA North Codorus Township3 historic placesB

Questions about Jefferson’s history

What year was Jefferson founded?

In 1812, according to Wikidata. Jefferson’s post office opened in 1828, and the census of 1850 counted 164 people here.

Memory lane

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

Town Square →

Start a conversation

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 (3), 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.

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