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History · Middleport

Middleport dates to 1829, and 58% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1889 on and the census since 1860.

1829founded
0on the National Register
58%homes built before 1940
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Photo: Shuvaev · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers

How Middleport began

When was Middleport founded?

1829

Middleport dates its founding to 1829 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1860.

First census: 421 in 18602020 census: 362197 years
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1830.

What stands out about Middleport’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 Middleport are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18896 editions of the USGS map, 1889 to 1999. Watch Middleport change.Old housesHalf of Middleport’s homes were built before 1938.Boom and bustPeaked at 1,225 in 1930; 362 people lived here in 2020.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Middleport’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Middleport’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

Middleport on the map, 1889 to 1999

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

Middleport on the 1889 USGS mapMiddleport on the 1891 USGS mapMiddleport on the 1944 USGS mapMiddleport on the 1968 USGS mapMiddleport on the 1976 USGS mapMiddleport on the 1999 USGS map1889Pottsville 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 Middleport.

The story so far

Middleport, in brief

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

Middleport is a borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 363 at the time of the 2020 census. The town was named for being the mid-point of the sixteen-mile distance between Pottsville and Tamaqua.

Middleport was established in 1829. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 405 to 362 (-11%).

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

From the old history books

What they wrote about Middleport in 1916

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

carpenter. Upon coming to Schuylkill county in 1847 he first located at Ashland, thence removing to Middleport, where he became engaged by the Philadelphia & Reading Railway Company at his trade, as foreman in charge of the building of bridges and stations. He built a number of breakers for individ…
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania1916 · page 106Read the page →
Read the text

carpenter. Upon coming to Schuylkill county in 1847 he first located at Ashland, thence removing to Middleport, where he became engaged by the Philadelphia & Reading Railway Company at his trade, as foreman in charge of the building of bridges and stations. He built a number of breakers for individual coal operators. When he gave up work for the railroad company he became employed in one of the boat works at Landingville, in 1S58 beginning the building of boats on his own account, meeting with such success that he did the principal business of the county in his day and locality. He often

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
lie was later clerk in the post office, and during his young manhood he was engaged in teaching for some years, two years in Berks county, whence he returned to Middleport. where he taught three years. Then he became princijuil of the schools at Schuylkill Haven, this county, continuing thus until …
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania1916 · page 189Read the page →
Read the text

lie was later clerk in the post office, and during his young manhood he was engaged in teaching for some years, two years in Berks county, whence he returned to Middleport. where he taught three years. Then he became princijuil of the schools at Schuylkill Haven, this county, continuing thus until 1803, in which year he became freight and ticket agent for the Mine Hill & Schuylkill Haven Railway Company at Minersville, holding that position oite year. Meantime he had been appointed clerk to the county commissioners, and held that position four years. In the fall of 1862 he had registered as a

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

Middleport, 1829 to 1930

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1829
    FoundingMiddleport is established
  3. 1830Post officeThe Middleport post office opens
  4. 1889On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  5. 20th century
  6. 1930CensusPopulation peaks at 1,225
By decade

Middleport, decade by decade

Today11 recent
Washington St, Middleport PA 042015Washington St, Middleport PA 04Washington St, Middleport PA 022015Washington St, Middleport PA 02War Memorial, Middleport PA 032015War Memorial, Middleport PA 03War Memorial, Middleport PA 022015War Memorial, Middleport PA 02War Memorial, Middleport PA 012015War Memorial, Middleport PA 01Union St, Middleport PA 022015Union St, Middleport PA 02Union St, Middleport PA 012015Union St, Middleport PA 01Station 51 Fire Co2015Station 51 Fire CoSt Joseph's Catholic Church2015St Joseph's Catholic ChurchPost Office2015Post OfficeBorough Sign2015Borough Sign
Every building

Middleport, building by building, 1912

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a sheet.

Middleport fire insurance map, 1912, sheet 11912Sheet 1 of 2
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

People over time

Middleport, census by census

02004006008001,0001,200190019502000Peak: 1,225

Peaked at 1,225 in 1930; 362 people lived here in 2020.

17 censuses, 1860–2020.

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

Famous people

Famous people close to Middleport

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

See all →
Gary S. BeckerAmerican economist · b. 1930
John O'HaraAmerican journalist and writer · b. 1905
Victor SchertzingerAmerican composer, film director, film producer… · b. 1888
Joseph Edward KurtzCatholic archbishop · b. 1946
M
Matt WachterAmerican musician · b. 1976
Jack McCloskeyAmerican basketball player and coach · b. 1925

Questions about Middleport’s history

What year was Middleport founded?

In 1829, according to Wikidata. Middleport’s post office opened in 1830, and the census of 1860 counted 421 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 (11), 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.