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History · Lenhartsville

Lenhartsville dates to 1854, and 60% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1909 on, and the census since 1880.

1854founded
0on the National Register
60%homes built before 1940
2old photos & papers
1famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Lenhartsville’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Lenhartsville began

When was Lenhartsville founded?

1854

Lenhartsville dates its founding to 1854 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1880.

First census: 161 in 18802020 census: 180172 years
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1854.The full story ↓

What stands out about Lenhartsville’s past

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

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 2 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Lenhartsville’s homes were built before 1938.On the map since 19096 editions of the USGS map, 1909 to 1977. Watch Lenhartsville change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Lenhartsville’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old view1940 Census Enumeration District Descri…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story

How Lenhartsville came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Lenhartsville.

Read it all →

Heinrich (Henry) Lenhart, 1773–1837, son of Jacob Lenhart, is considered the founder of Lenhartsville, on land once owned by his grandfather Johan Peter Lenhart.

The Lenhart Farm was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

On the map

Lenhartsville on the map, 1909 to 1977

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

Lenhartsville on the 1909 USGS mapLenhartsville on the 1911 USGS mapLenhartsville on the 1944 USGS mapLenhartsville on the 1956 USGS mapLenhartsville on the 1969 USGS mapLenhartsville on the 1977 USGS map1909Hamburg 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 Lenhartsville.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Lenhartsville, 1889–1909

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

lienhartsville. — Lenhartsville was named after the Lenhart family, who settled there; and it became a town of importance upon the construction of the Berks County Railroad (now the Schuylkill and Lehigh). It was incorporated a borough in 1887.
School history of Berks County in Pennsylvania1889 · page 184Read the page →
Read the text

lienhartsville. — Lenhartsville was named after the Lenhart family, who settled there; and it became a town of importance upon the construction of the Berks County Railroad (now the Schuylkill and Lehigh). It was incorporated a borough in 1887.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
[Mentioned in Ontelaunee Section, Chapter XII.] LENHARTSVILLE Incorporation. — Lenhartsville is the second smallest borough in the county. It is situated along the Ontelaunee creek in the western end of Greenwich township, from which it was taken at the time of its incorporation in 1887. It embrace…
Historical and biographical annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania, embracing a concise history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, comp. by Morton L. Montgomery ..1909 · page 263Read the page →
Read the text

[Mentioned in Ontelaunee Section, Chapter XII.] LENHARTSVILLE Incorporation. — Lenhartsville is the second smallest borough in the county. It is situated along the Ontelaunee creek in the western end of Greenwich township, from which it was taken at the time of its incorporation in 1887. It embraces 48 dwellings, 2 hotels, 3 stores and a blacksmith shop,

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Lenhartsville, in 1887. Waterworks have been supplied at the first four, and electric hghting at the first three.
Historical and biographical annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania, embracing a concise history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, comp. by Morton L. Montgomery ..1909 · page 304Read the page →
Read the text

Lenhartsville, in 1887. Waterworks have been supplied at the first four, and electric hghting at the first three.

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

Lenhartsville, 1850 to 1930

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1850In the archive1940 Census Enumeration District Descriptions - Pennsylvania - Berks County - ED 6-45, ED…
  3. 1854
    FoundingLenhartsville is established
  4. 1854Post officeThe Lenartsville post office opens
  5. 1874Born hereWilson G. Sarig is born here
  6. 20th century
  7. 1909On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  8. 1930In the archiveKerchner's Red and White Cottages, U.S. Route No. 22, Lenhartsville, Pa (68833)
By decade

Lenhartsville, decade by decade

2 decades in the archive, from the 1850s to the 1930s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1850s1 item
1940 Census Enumeration District Descriptions - Pennsylvania - Berks County - ED 6-45, ED 6-46, ED 6-47, ED 6-48, ED 6-…18501940 Census Enumeration District Descriptions - Penns…
1930s1 item
Kerchner's Red and White Cottages, U.S. Route No. 22, Lenhartsville, Pa (68833)c. 1930Kerchner's Red and White Cottages, U.S. Route No. 22,…
1940s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today16 recent
Lenhartsville, Pennsylvania2012Lenhartsville, PennsylvaniaLenhartsville, Pennsylvania2012Lenhartsville, PennsylvaniaLenhartsville, Pennsylvania2012Lenhartsville, PennsylvaniaLenhartsville, Pennsylvania2012Lenhartsville, PennsylvaniaLenhartsville, Pennsylvania2012Lenhartsville, PennsylvaniaLenhartsville, Pennsylvania2012Lenhartsville, PennsylvaniaWEST PORTAL. THIS ORIGINAL STEPPED FALSE FRONT DECORATIVE PORTAL IS TYPICAL OF THE REGION. - Dreibelbis Station Bridge,…2005WEST PORTAL. THIS ORIGINAL STEPPED FALSE FRONT DECORA…INTERIOR. NOTE GUARDRAIL RUNNING ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE BRIDGE THAT HAS BEEN CUT OUT WHERE IT WOULD MEET THE ARCHES. -…2005INTERIOR. NOTE GUARDRAIL RUNNING ALONG THE LENGTH OF …INTERIOR WITH PAIRED CONCENTRIC ARCHES. - Dreibelbis Station Bridge, Spanning Maiden Creek, Balthaser Road (TR 745), Le…2005INTERIOR WITH PAIRED CONCENTRIC ARCHES. - Dreibelbis …ELEVATION. - Dreibelbis Station Bridge, Spanning Maiden Creek, Balthaser Road (TR 745)2005ELEVATION. - Dreibelbis Station Bridge, Spanning Maid…EAST PORTAL. - Dreibelbis Station Bridge, Spanning Maiden Creek, Balthaser Road (TR 745)2005EAST PORTAL. - Dreibelbis Station Bridge, Spanning Ma…EAST PORTAL AND APPROACH ROAD. - Dreibelbis Station Bridge, Spanning Maiden Creek, Balthaser Road (TR 745)2005EAST PORTAL AND APPROACH ROAD. - Dreibelbis Station B…DETAIL OF TRUSS PANELS. - Dreibelbis Station Bridge, Spanning Maiden Creek, Balthaser Road (TR 745)2005DETAIL OF TRUSS PANELS. - Dreibelbis Station Bridge, …BELOW DECK VIEW. - Dreibelbis Station Bridge, Spanning Maiden Creek, Balthaser Road (TR 745)2005BELOW DECK VIEW. - Dreibelbis Station Bridge, Spannin…BELOW DECK VIEW. - Dreibelbis Station Bridge, Spanning Maiden Creek, Balthaser Road (TR 745)2005BELOW DECK VIEW. - Dreibelbis Station Bridge, Spannin…ABUTMENT. NOTE HOW ARCHES BUTT AGAINST A CONCRETE PAD ADDED IN 1968. NOTE ALSO IRON TIE ROD AT LOWER CHORD. - Dreibelbi…2005ABUTMENT. NOTE HOW ARCHES BUTT AGAINST A CONCRETE PAD…
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

1940 Census Enumeration District Descriptions - Pennsylvania - Berks County - ED 6-45, ED 6-46, ED 6-47, ED 6-48, ED 6-…
Retake this view1940 Census Enumeration District Descriptions - Pennsylvania - Berks County - ED 6-45, ED 6-46, ED 6-47, ED 6-48, ED 6-…, 1850

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Lenhartsville’s page.

Retake this view · +15
People over time

Lenhartsville, census by census

010020018801900192019401960198020002020Peak: 229

Between 144 and 229 people in every census since 1880.

15 censuses, 1880–2020.

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

Questions about Lenhartsville’s history

What year was Lenhartsville founded?

In 1854, according to Wikidata. Lenhartsville’s post office opened in 1854, and the census of 1880 counted 161 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 (18), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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.