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History · Lewisberry

Lewisberry dates to 1784, and 44% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: old-book passages.

1784founded
0on the National Register
44%homes built before 1940
1famous people
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Quick answers

How Lewisberry began

When was Lewisberry founded?

1784

Lewisberry dates its founding to 1784 (Wikidata). Its post office opened in 1824.

2020 census: 382242 years
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1824.The full story ↓

What stands out about Lewisberry’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 Lewisberry are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Lewisberry’s homes were built before 1948.Deep rootsEstablished in 1784: 242 years of Lewisberry.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Lewisberry’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Lewisberry’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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The story

How Lewisberry came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Lewisberry.

Read it all →

The lands in and around the borough of Lewisberry were under control of the Susquehannock people until the first Quaker settlements in the 1730s. These settlements were among the first Quaker settlements in America west of the Susquehanna River. Among the group of original titleholders along the small creek that would become known as Bennett Run were Ellis Lewis, Joseph Bennett, John Rankin, John Heald, and John Hall. At this time, the area that would become York County was still almost entirely populated by the Susquehannock Indians. Yet there are few recorded conflicts between these early settlers and the native population. In this area that would later become majority Pennsylvania German, the first and second waves of settlers were almost entirely English speakers and included the Kirks, Rankins, Huttons, Garetsons, Nebingers, Eppleys, Starrs, Fosters, Clines, Stromingers, Moores…

ChaptersEarly settlementFounding of boroughIncorporation and growth

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Lewisberry, 1784 to 1824

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

  1. 18th century
  2. 1784
    FoundingLewisberry is established
  3. 1798Born hereEllis Lewis is born here
  4. 19th century
  5. 1824Post officeThe Levisberry post office opens
From the old history books

What they wrote about Lewisberry in 1886

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

and the land owned was afterward known as the Simpson property, later as the Haldeman estate. Eli Lewis who afterward founded the town of Lewisberry owned 850 acres of land, 6 dwelling houses, all valued at £1,018; John Prunk owned 3 dwelling houses, 250 acres of land, a sawmill and a grist-mill, 3…
History of York County, Pennsylvania1886 · page 624Read the page →
Read the text

and the land owned was afterward known as the Simpson property, later as the Haldeman estate. Eli Lewis who afterward founded the town of Lewisberry owned 850 acres of land, 6 dwelling houses, all valued at £1,018; John Prunk owned 3 dwelling houses, 250 acres of land, a sawmill and a grist-mill, 3 horses and 6

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
ask him to describe the scenes and incidents of "the battalion" or "big muster day" held on the second Monday of May in the village of Lewisberry and regularly at Dover or Dillsburg on some other day with equal regularity. Col. Bailey, of Dillsburg; Col. Steele, of Fairview, or Col. Rankin, of Lewi…
History of York County Pennsylvania From the Earliest Time to the Present1886 · page 635Read the page →
Read the text

ask him to describe the scenes and incidents of "the battalion" or "big muster day" held on the second Monday of May in the village of Lewisberry and regularly at Dover or Dillsburg on some other day with equal regularity. Col. Bailey, of Dillsburg; Col. Steele, of Fairview, or Col. Rankin, of Lewisberry, comrdanded on these occasions, and a large

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
demand for his springs. In the year 1840, the annual sales of springs numbered 35.000. He introduced many improvements into the village of Lewisberry; was a supporter of the cause of free education; became one of the first school directors under the new school law, and was an active director, prese…
History of York County Pennsylvania From the Earliest Time to the Present1886Read the page →
Read the text

demand for his springs. In the year 1840, the annual sales of springs numbered 35.000. He introduced many improvements into the village of Lewisberry; was a supporter of the cause of free education; became one of the first school directors under the new school law, and was an active director, present at the election of his friend and neighbor, the Hon. Jacob Kirk, as the

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
demand for his springs. In the year 1840, the annual sales of springs numbered 3.5,000. He introduced many improvements into the village of Lewisberry; was a supporter of the cause of free education; became one of the first school directors under the new school law, and was an active director, pres…
History of York County, Pennsylvania1886Read the page →
Read the text

demand for his springs. In the year 1840, the annual sales of springs numbered 3.5,000. He introduced many improvements into the village of Lewisberry; was a supporter of the cause of free education; became one of the first school directors under the new school law, and was an active director, present at the election of his friend and neighbor, the Hon. Jacob Kirk, as the

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

Lewisberry, decade by decade

Today6 recent
Lewisberry abandoned church York Co PA2015Lewisberry abandoned church York Co PALewisberry United Methodist York Co PA2015Lewisberry United Methodist York Co PALewisberry Keystone sign2015Lewisberry Keystone signPennsylvania State Route 1772013Pennsylvania State Route 177Pennsylvania State Route 1772013Pennsylvania State Route 177Pennsylvania State Route 1772013Pennsylvania State Route 177
Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Newberry Township2 historic placesB−Fairview Township1 historic placeC+

Questions about Lewisberry’s history

What year was Lewisberry founded?

In 1784, according to Wikidata. Lewisberry’s post office opened in 1824.

Memory lane

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

Town Square →
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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 (6), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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.