The story
Read it all →How New Milford came to be
From Wikipedia’s history of New Milford.
The borough of New Milford was formed from part of New Milford Township in December 1859.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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History · New Milford
New Milford dates to 1789, and 54% of its homes were built before 1940
Below: 4 old photos and papers, maps from 1885 on, and the census since 1860.
1789founded
0on the National Register
54%homes built before 1940
4old photos & papers
2famous people
Quick answers
How New Milford began
When was New Milford founded?
1789
New Milford dates its founding to 1789 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1860.
First census: 414 in 18602020 census: 812237 years
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1811.The full story ↓
What stands out about New Milford’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 4 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of New Milford’s homes were built before 1938.Boom and bustPeaked at 1,143 in 1970; 812 people lived here in 2020.Mapped building by building5 fire insurance maps, 1885 to 1911, drew every building in New Milford.
★ What stands out · Help out
Start New Milford’s collection
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how New Milford’s history is told.
Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
2 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.People over time
New Milford, census by census
Peaked at 1,143 in 1970; 812 people lived here in 2020.
17 censuses, 1860–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on New Milford’s Wikipedia page.
From the old history books
What they wrote about New Milford, 1873–1887
Passages that mention New Milford, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania1887 · page 605Read the page →
Read the text
In 1853, when the church was built at Susquehanna, a new parish was created, called the Susquehanna parish. This was taken from the Silver Lake parish, and embraced Great Bend, New Milford and Nicholson. About 1872 Great Bend, New Milford and Nicholson were set off and Starrucca was annexed. From the origin of the church at this place until 1868, this parish was in the Philadelphia dio-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania1887 · page 630Read the page →
Read the text
New Milford Borough is pleasantly situated on an extensive flat near the centre of New Milford township, at the confluence of the branches of the Salt Lick Creek. It is neatly laid out, and surrounded by all the natural advantages that an enterprising place could desire, and for three-quarters of a century it has been justly celebrated as one of the most beautiful towns in Northern Pennsylvania. The village is
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. from a period preceding its settlement to recent times, including the annals and geography of each township... Also a sketch of woman's work in the county for the United States sanitary commission, and a list o1873 · page 143Read the page →
Read the text
It is thought the name New Milford was given to the township in honor of N. Milford, Connecticut. Although Willingborough, for several years, had practically extended over the original area of New Milford, its southern line is nowhere officially described (except as that of a justice’s district) lower than six miles from the State line ; and thus, though the records do not state the fact, New Milford must have been taken from old Tioga township, since the strip between Nichol-
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
New Milford, 1789 to 1970
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
- 18th century
- 1789FoundingNew Milford is established
- 19th century
- 1811Post officeThe New Milford post office opens
- 1864
Born hereWilliam David Blakeslee Ainey is born here - 1874
Born hereFrederick W. Hager is born here - 1890
In the archiveNew Milford, Pa - 20th century
- 1900
In the archiveNew Milford, Pa - 1923
In the archiveNew Milford PA Presby PHS413 - 1932
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey - 1970CensusPopulation peaks at 1,143
By decade
New Milford, decade by decade
3 decades in the archive, from the 1890s to the 1920s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
1890s–1920s4 items
18901930s–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
2009
2009
2009
2009
2009
2008
2008
2004On the map
New Milford on the map in 1932
The U.S. Geological Survey’s map of New Milford.
1932Susquehanna sheet · 1:62,500U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of New Milford.
Every building
New Milford, building by building, 1885–1911
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.
1885Sheet 1 of 2Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
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 viewNew Milford, Pa, 1890
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on New Milford’s page.
Retake this view · +15Famous people
See all →2 famous people were born in New Milford
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Questions about New Milford’s history
What year was New Milford founded?
In 1789, according to Wikidata. New Milford’s post office opened in 1811, and the census of 1860 counted 414 people here.
Memory lane
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
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 (9), the Library of Congress (3), 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.