6 of Newtown Township’s places are on the National Register
More historic than 57% of U.S. towns · #647 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
Most of Newtown Township was built recently: 5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1988. Below: 6 old photos and papers, maps from 1944 on, and the census since 1930.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Newtown Township is more historic than 57% of U.S. towns, #647 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
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HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Newtown Township’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 Newtown Township’s 9.1 sits above most of its state (75% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 18 historic buildings outnumber those of 79% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share (±2.3 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: our sources. 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 Newtown Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Newtown Township traces its roots back to William Penn, who purchased 5,000 acres (20 km2) from the Lenape Indian tribe in 1683. He named this land "my New Township", which gradually evolved to Newtown Township. Newtown served as the County Seat of Bucks County from 1726 until 1813, when the Court was moved to Doylestown. In 1838, the area comprising the commercial center, plus a number of homes, was incorporated into Newtown Borough. Today, the Township surrounds Newtown Borough and each has its own form of government.
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.
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 Newtown Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1944Langhorne sheet · 1:24,000
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Newtown Township.
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 view1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Pennsylvania - Bucks County - Newtown - ED 9-59, 1880
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Newtown Township’s page.
Newtown Township is more historic than 57% of U.S. towns, #647 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 Newtown Township?
6 listings: 2 buildings, among them the David Leedom Farm (listed 1976, the first), 3 historic districts, the George F. Tyler Mansion, the Newtown Presbyterian Church and the Peter Taylor Farmstead, with 8 contributing buildings, and 1 structure. 18 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Newtown Township?
5% of Newtown Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.3 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1988.
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 (6), 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) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
1933
1933
1933
