Red Lion dates to 1852, and 49% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 90% of U.S. towns · #175 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
2 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 1,482 buildings. Below: maps from 1908 on and the census since 1880.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Red Lion is more historic than 90% of U.S. towns, #175 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Red Lion’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 Red Lion’s 2,276 sits above most of its state (99% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 1,483 historic buildings outnumber those of 99% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1852.
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 (±10.8 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 Red Lion’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Red Lion, settled in 1852, was named after one of the first pubs in town, the Red Lion Tavern.
The town was a main stop along the old Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad, known locally as the "Ma & Pa" Railroad. That railroad ran from York County to Baltimore, Maryland.
Red Lion was once famous for the many brands of cigars made there. The town produced millions of cigars per month, about 10% of the cigars made in the United States. The town raises a cigar every New Year's Eve. It was also known nationwide for its furniture industry, with several large factories producing ornate, hand crafted furniture for over 100 years. The furniture industry has mostly shifted to kitchen cabinet production and retail store fixtures over the last 40 years.
Passages that mention Red Lion, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of York County Pennsylvania1907 · page 644Read the page →
Read the text
tinuing his studies until he had attained the age of sixteen years, when, in 1892, he entered upon an apprenticeship in the art of telegraphy, in Red Lion, sooji becoming a capable operator, and within that same year securing a position in the employ of the Baltimore & Lehigh Railroad Co., now the Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad Co., in Muddy Creek Forks,
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of York County Pennsylvania1907 · page 166Read the page →
Read the text
een he began teaching, in the home school in Chanceford township. He continued to follow that profession for sixteen consecutive school terms, being engaged at Dallastown. Red Lion and Windsor, all in York county. He first commenced his present business at Red Lion on a small scale, in 1884, and continued to conduct the factory until 1899, when he formed
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of York County Pennsylvania From the Earliest Time to the Present1886 · page 722Read the page →
Read the text
When the railroad was built, the station at this point was named Red Lion, after the hotel. Incorporation. — The town did not increase much until after it was incorporated in the year 1880; since that time it has continued to prosper. There were about twenty-five houses built in. 1884. Matthew Gable, in 1876, built the first house after the town was
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
Red Lion, 1852 to 1983
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Red Lion. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1908York 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 Red Lion.
Every building
Red Lion, building by building, 1908–1923
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.
In 1852, according to Wikidata. the census of 1880 counted 241 people here.
How does Red Lion rank for history?
Red Lion is more historic than 90% of U.S. towns, #175 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 Red Lion?
Two places: the Consumers Cigar Box Company (listed 1999) and the Red Lion Borough Historic District (2000).
How old are the homes in Red Lion?
49% of Red Lion’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±10.8 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1941.
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 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.
