Milton dates to 1770, and 28% of its homes were built before 1940
Among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns · #33 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
4 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 719 buildings. Below: 6 old photos and papers, maps from 1884 on, and the census since 1820.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1799.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Milton’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Milton is among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns, #33 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Milton’s overall grade.
Pennsylvania towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical Pennsylvania town has 2.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Milton’s 1,103 sits above most of its state (97% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 721 historic buildings outnumber those of 98% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1770.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would still be A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±7.3 points).
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Milton’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Every building
Milton, building by building, 1884–1918
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 year, then a sheet.
Settled in 1770, Milton was incorporated in 1817, and is governed by a charter that was revised in 1890. Formerly, its extensive manufacturing plants included car and woodworking machinery shops; rolling, flour, knitting, planing, and saw mills; washer, nut, and bolt works; and furniture, shoe, couch, nail, fly net, bamboo novelty, and paper-box factories. In 1900, 6,175 people lived in Milton. In 1940, 8,313 people lived there. The population was 6,650 at the 2000 census, and 7,042 at the 2010 census.
The Milton Historic District, Pennsylvania Canal and Limestone Run Aqueduct, Milton Armory, and Milton Freight Station are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Passages that mention Milton, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, including its aboriginal history1891 · page 555Read the page →
Read the text
The opening of the Philadelphia and Beading railroad to Milton occurred in 1851. It established railroad communication with Philadelphia, and was continued to Williamsport in 1871. In 1883 the Beading Company constructed their line from West, Milton to Shamokin, thus giving Milton the advantage of a competing line in that direction.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, including its aboriginal history1891 · page 989Read the page →
Read the text
ing and building. He built four miles of the Shamokin, Sunbury and Lewisburg railroad, also the Wilkesbarre and Western from Watsontown to MiUville, and was connected with the Reading railroad, building the annex from West Milton to Milton. In 1888 he organized the Milton Knitting Company, erected the building, and became one of the heaviest stockholders, and held the position of secretary and treasurer up to a recent date. He is a director of the Milton Trust and Safe Deposit Company, a stockholder in the Milton Driving Park and Fair Association, and one of the auditors of
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania1891 · page 989Read the page →
Read the text
ing and building. He built four miles of the Shamokin, Sunbury and Lewisburg railroad, also the Wilkesbarre and Western from Watsontown to ]NIillville, and was connected with the Reading railroad, building the annex from West Milton to Milton. In 188s he organized the Milton Knitting Companv, erected the building, and became one of the heaviest stockholders, and held the position of secretary and treasurer up to a recent date. He is a director of the Milton Trust and Safe Deposit Company, a stockholder in the Milton Driving Park and Fair Association, and one of the auditors of
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
intereft on fuch a ftretch in favour of a man fo notorioufiy obnoxious P Perplexed and inquifitive as I was, I at length found the fecret. It was Sir William Davenant obtained his remiffion in return for his own life procured by Milton’s intereft, when himfelf was under condemnation, Anno 1650. A life was owing to Milton, f Davenant’s) and it was nobly paid : Milton’s for Davenant’s at Davenant’s interceffion. The management of the affair in the houfe of commons, whether by fignifying the king’s defire, or otherwife, was perhaps by thofe gentlemen named.” This account Mr. Richardfon had from Mr. Pope,, who was informed of it by Mr. Thomas Betterton, the celebrated a<5tor, who was firft
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
Milton, decade by decade
3 decades in the archive, from the 1860s to the 1900s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
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.
In 1770, according to Wikidata. Milton’s post office opened in 1799, and the census of 1820 counted 1,016 people here.
How does Milton rank for history?
Milton is among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns, #33 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Milton?
4 listings: 2 buildings, among them the Milton Freight Station (listed 1977, the first), 1 historic district, the Milton Historic District, with 719 contributing buildings, and 1 structure. 721 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Milton?
28% of Milton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.3 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1964.
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).
From Wikimedia Commons (2), the Library of Congress (4), the National Register of Historic Places (4), 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, 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.
![ing and building. He built four miles of the Shamokin, Sunbury and Lewisburg railroad, also the Wilkesbarre and Western from Watsontown to ]NIillville, and was connected with the Reading railroad, building the annex from West Milton to Milton. In 188s he organized the Milton Knitting Companv, erect…](https://images.townratings.com/story/15478/bk-d442a94898fe99e6-l.jpg)
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