Oakmont dates to 1889, and 30% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 75% of U.S. towns · #408 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
Its Register listings are the Thomas R. Kerr Dr. House and Office and the St. Thomas Memorial Church. Its Register listings are the Thomas R. Kerr Dr. House and Office and the St. Thomas Memorial Church. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1895 on, and the census since 1890.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1894. Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Oakmont’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Oakmont is more historic than 75% of U.S. towns, #408 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Oakmont’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 Oakmont’s 7.5 sits above most of its state (73% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 5 historic buildings outnumber those of 70% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B to A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.0 points). Two sources give 1889.
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 Oakmont’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.
Oakmont began in 1816 when a farmer, Michael Bright, bought a large tract of land 15 miles (24 km) northeast of Pittsburgh. The settlement took its name from a landmark tree, as the deed description reads, "Beginning at a black oak on the bank of the Allegheny River ..." It was incorporated in 1889.
The Edgewater Steel Company site was a 2.3-acre facility that underwent cleanup under the Environmental Protection Agency's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
Passages that mention Oakmont, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania1889 · page 136Read the page →
Read the text
the borough. In 1776 he transferred the land to Thomas Girty, and he, in 1800, to Col. Pressly Neville. In 1813 Neville conveyed it to Robert EHiott, and from him it was transferred to Michael Brigrht in 1816. It has since been divided and subdivided. Oakmont was the name by which a tract of six hundred acres, embracing much of that part of the borough above Plum creek, was patented to David Greer more than a hundred years ago. Jonathan Hulton settled very early in that part of the borough which bears his name.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania1889 · page 136Read the page →
Read the text
are five stations within the borough limits; Hulton, Oakmont, Edgewater, Verona and Iona. In 1769 George Croghan patented three hundred acres in the upper part of the borough. In 1776 he transferred the land to Thomas Girty, and he, in 1800, to Col. Pressly Neville. In 1813 Neville conveyed it to Robert Elliott, and from him it was transferred to Michael Bright in 1816. It has since been divided and subdivided. Oakmont was the name by which a tract of six hundred acres, embracing much of that part of the borough above Plum creek,
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
Oakmont, 1889 to 1999
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.
In 1889, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Oakmont’s post office opened in 1894, and the census of 1890 counted 1,678 people here.
How does Oakmont rank for history?
Oakmont is more historic than 75% of U.S. towns, #408 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 Oakmont?
Two places: the Thomas R. Kerr Dr. House and Office (listed 2003) and the St. Thomas Memorial Church (2016).
How old are the homes in Oakmont?
30% of Oakmont’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.0 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1963.
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 (5), Wikidata (1), 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 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.
1999
1999
1999
