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C+History
History · Richland Township

Richland Township dates to 1780

More historic than 40% of U.S. towns · #859 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it

Most of Richland Township was built recently: 5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1973. Below: maps from 1904 on.

1780founded
0on the National Register
5%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Alyssa Gormish, UPJ student · CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answers

How Richland Township began

When was Richland Township founded?

1780

Richland Township dates its founding to 1780 (Wikidata). Its post office opened in 1891.

2020 census: 12,233246 years

How historic is Richland Township?

C+

More historic than 40% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1891.
History grade

What drives Richland Township’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Richland Township is more historic than 40% of U.S. towns, #859 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.

C+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Richland Township’s overall grade.
Founding era1780, from Wikidata: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 19405.3% of homes (±2.4) · typical PA town 17.7% · U.S. 8.4%CNational RegisterNo listings counted · typical PA town 2.1 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 40%
NewerOlder
Pennsylvania towns of 2,500+ (1,035)Ahead of 17%

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 Richland Township’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (25% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1780.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to B−. The pre-1940 share (±2.4 points) is firm at this size.

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 Richland Township’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Richland Township are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19045 editions of the USGS map, 1904 to 1993. Watch Richland Township change.Lost villages1 post office opened and closed inside today’s Richland Township, and 4 old place names are still on the map.Deep rootsEstablished in 1780: 246 years of Richland Township.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Richland Township’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Richland Township’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Richland Township on the map, 1904 to 1993

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Richland Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Richland Township on the 1904 USGS mapRichland Township on the 1964 USGS mapRichland Township on the 1972 USGS mapRichland Township on the 1981 USGS mapRichland Township on the 1993 USGS map1904Johnstown 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 Richland Township.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners and burying grounds

Another post office, Walsall, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Hamlets and corners on the map
BelmontInglesideNumber Thirty-SevenWalsall
9cemeteries and burying grounds inside Richland Township
All Faiths Chapel and MausoleumBaumgardnerBishop Jacob EashBloughHungarian ReformedRichlandSaints Peter and Paul Othodox ChurchSnavelyWingard Farm

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

The story so far

Richland Township, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Richland Township yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Richland Township is a township in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 12,814 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Richland Township was established in 1780. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 12,814 to 12,233 (-5%).

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

Timeline

Richland Township, 1780 to 1914

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 18th century
  2. 1780
    FoundingRichland Township is established
  3. 19th century
  4. 1891Post officeThe Walsall post office opens
  5. 20th century
  6. 1904On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  7. 1914Post officeThe Walsall post office closes
By decade

Richland Township, decade by decade

Today13 recent
Richland, PA, USA - panoramio (1)2016Richland, PA, USA - panoramio (1)Early Spring - panoramio (6)2016Early Spring - panoramio (6)Early Spring - panoramio (10)2016Early Spring - panoramio (10)Johnstown - panoramio (17)2015Johnstown - panoramio (17)Route 56 - panoramio (1)2014Route 56 - panoramio (1)Foggy Morning - panoramio (11)2014Foggy Morning - panoramio (11)Babcock shortcut2014Babcock shortcutRichland, PA, USA2012Richland, PA, USAFoliage - panoramio (4)2011Foliage - panoramio (4)Foliage - panoramio (3)2011Foliage - panoramio (3)Foliage - panoramio (2)2011Foliage - panoramio (2)Quarter mile bridge on route 219 and waiste treatment 32005Quarter mile bridge on route 219 and waiste treatment…Huey based at the ohnstown Airport2005Huey based at the ohnstown Airport
Famous people

Famous people close to Richland Township

Nobody well known was born in Richland Township itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Carroll BakerAmerican actress · b. 1931
Steve DitkoAmerican comics artist · b. 1927
Alex AzarAmerican politician · b. 1967
Michael NovakAmerican theologian, philosopher, journalist, n… · b. 1933
T
Tim KazurinskyAmerican actor · b. 1950
Ashley MillerAmerican screenwriter and producer · b. 1971
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Paint TownshipIts storyC−GeistownIts storyBConemaugh Township1 historic placeABelmontIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townScalp Level1 historic placenot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townAdams Township2 historic placesAStonycreek TownshipIts storyC+OaklandIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townConemaugh Township1 historic placeB+

Questions about Richland Township’s history

What year was Richland Township founded?

In 1780, according to Wikidata. Richland Township’s post office opened in 1891.

How does Richland Township rank for history?

Richland Township is more historic than 40% of U.S. towns, #859 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.

How old are the homes in Richland Township?

5% of Richland Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.4 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1973.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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).

From Wikimedia Commons (13), Wikidata (1), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, 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.