Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Jonestown’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Jonestown. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Jonestown.
From Wikipedia’s history of Jonestown.
Jonestown was established by Benjamin Jones in 1809, when he built a sawmill in the community, followed by a gristmill in 1811. The gristmill was used until 1968. A path between Wilkes-Barre and Muncy once passed through Jonestown.
Historically, the Susquehanna and Tioga Turnpike passed through Jonestown. As of 1915, there was a hotel in Jonestown.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Nobody well known was born in Jonestown itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
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 Wikipedia 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.
