Mount Pleasant dates to 1797, and 35% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 97% of U.S. towns · #89 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
2 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 268 buildings. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1886 on, and the census since 1840.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Mount Pleasant is more historic than 97% of U.S. towns, #89 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its age lowest.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Mount Pleasant’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 Mount Pleasant’s 645 sits above most of its state (95% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 271 historic buildings outnumber those of 95% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1797.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±7.6 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 Mount Pleasant’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
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.
Mount Pleasant borough is located at what was originally the junction of two Native American paths. With the coming of Europeans, those two paths—now known as Pennsylvania Routes 31 (east/west) and 819 (north/south)—became key access roads to the western wilderness and more populated areas in the east. The crossroads attracted settlers who established businesses to serve travelers passing through.
Passages that mention Mount Pleasant, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania1906 · page 333Read the page →
Read the text
the Blount Pleasant Institute, from which he was graduated. He then turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, and continued the same until 1886, when his health failed and he was forced to abandon that arduous occupation. He changed his place of abode to the village of Mount Pleasant, and the following four years acted as a messenger between Pittsburg and ;\lount Pleasant. He then established the hotel known as the Andrews House, which he conducted successfully for six years, and of which he was the proprietor at the time of his decease, February 18, 1901. He was genial and courteous, considerate of the
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania1906 · page 151Read the page →
Read the text
L'pon attaining his majority he went to Scottdale and there learned the trade of photography, and in 1899 entered into partnership with Robert Goodman at the place mentioned above. This is the oldest established photograph gallery in the town of Mount Pleasant, and their work, both indoor and out, being of a high order of workmanship and finish, they receive a large share of the patronage of the residents of the town and also from adjoining towns, and they have the prospect of a long and remunerative business career before them.
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
Mount Pleasant, 1789 to 1960
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
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.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Mount Pleasant. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1902Connellsville 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 Mount Pleasant.
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.
Retake this viewMount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, 1900
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Mount Pleasant’s page.
In 1797, according to Wikidata. the census of 1840 counted 554 people here.
How does Mount Pleasant rank for history?
Mount Pleasant is more historic than 97% of U.S. towns, #89 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 Mount Pleasant?
Two places: the Samuel Warden House (listed 1995) and the Mount Pleasant Historic District (1998).
How old are the homes in Mount Pleasant?
35% of Mount Pleasant’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.6 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1953.
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 (6), the National Register of Historic Places (2), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), 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.
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