Ross Township dates to 1809, and 13% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 73% of U.S. towns · #435 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
1 place in town is on the National Register, among them a historic district with 4 buildings. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1906 on, and the census since 1870.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1821.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Ross Township’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Ross Township is more historic than 73% of U.S. towns, #435 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Ross 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 Ross Township’s 1.2 sits near the middle of its state (54% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 4 historic buildings outnumber those of 68% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1809.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B to A−. The pre-1940 share (±2.0 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 Ross Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
16cemeteries and burying grounds inside Ross Township
Christ Our Redeemer CatholicHiland Presbyterian ChurchLithuanian Cemetery AssociationMount Assisi ConventPerrysville LutheranReel FamilyRosedaleSaint AlexanderSaint JosephsSaint Mary'sSaint Nicholas Croatian Roman CatholicSaint Teresa of AvilaSisters of the Holy Family of NazarethSisters of the Holy SpiritUnitedWest View
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
On the map
Ross Township on the map, 1906 to 1993
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Ross Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1906Sewickley 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 Ross Township.
On June 26, 1809, John McKnight, along with 30 other residents of Pine Township, petitioned the courts of Allegheny for the formation of a new township. In the November term, permission was granted and Ross Township was born. It was called Ross after a prominent Pittsburgh attorney James Ross. He represented Western Pennsylvania at the convention to ratify the Pennsylvania Constitution in 1790. Ross was a United States Senator and the personal land lawyer to George Washington.
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 1809, according to Wikidata. Ross Township’s post office opened in 1821, and the census of 1870 counted 1,623 people here.
How does Ross Township rank for history?
Ross Township is more historic than 73% of U.S. towns, #435 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 Ross Township?
One place: the Mount Saint Mary Convent and Saint Benedict Academy Historic District (listed 2025).
How old are the homes in Ross Township?
13% of Ross Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.0 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1966.
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 (18), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, 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.
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