Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Paris. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1904Steubenville 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 Paris.
The story so far
Paris, in brief
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Paris yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Paris is a census-designated place in Hanover Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States. Although it is not tracked by the United States Census Bureau, Paris has been assigned the ZIP code 15021. As of the 2020 census the population was 842 residents. The community is located just north of U.S. Route 22 near the Pennsylvania/West Virginia border.
Its first post office opened in 1831. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 732 to 667 (-9%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
From the old history books
What they wrote about Paris in 1920
Passages that mention Paris, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The march on Paris and the battle of the Marne, 1914 / by Alexander von Kluck...with portraits and maps and notes by the Historical section (Military branch) of the Committee of imperial defence.1920 · page 111Read the page →
Read the text
a more coherent strategy. A pause in the operations would give time for a rest, time for the arrival of several divisions from Lorraine, time for the occupation of the Marne district, and time for a real investment of Paris from the right banks of the Seine and the Marne, including an artillery bombardment of the north-eastern front of Paris with all the heavy artillery of the First Army, and as much of that of the Second Army as
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The march on Paris and the battle of the Marne, 1914 / by Alexander von Kluck...with portraits and maps and notes by the Historical section (Military branch) of the Committee of imperial defence.1920 · page 115Read the page →
Read the text
the World War and its Progress on the Belgian-North French Theatre till Mid-September, 1914," as well as other authorities, it appears that on the 4th September General Gallieni, as Governor of Paris, ordered the French Sixth Army of General Maunoury, which was under his orders, to hold itself in readiness to march from its billeting area between the northern front of Paris and the advanced position of Dammartin, which
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
No old photos in the archives yet
Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Be the first to add onePhotograph a print flat, in daylight, no flash.
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 Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps 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.
