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History · Sandy Lake

Sandy Lake’s post office opened in 1833, and 36% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1904 on and the census since 1870.

1833first post office
0on the National Register
36%homes built before 1940
2famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Quick answers

How Sandy Lake began

When was Sandy Lake founded?

1833

The Sandy Lake post office opened in 1833, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1849.

First census: 428 in 18702020 census: 649193 years
Founding year: the first Sandy Lake post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Wikidata: 1849.

What stands out about Sandy Lake’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 Sandy Lake are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19114 editions of the USGS map, 1911 to 1970. Watch Sandy Lake change.Old housesHalf of Sandy Lake’s homes were built before 1950.Deep rootsA post office since 1833: 193 years of Sandy Lake.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Sandy Lake’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Sandy Lake’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

Sandy Lake on the map, 1911 to 1970

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

Sandy Lake on the 1911 USGS mapSandy Lake on the 1943 USGS mapSandy Lake on the 1960 USGS mapSandy Lake on the 1970 USGS map1911Stoneboro 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 Sandy Lake.

The story so far

Sandy Lake, in brief

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

Sandy Lake is a borough in eastern Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was established in 1849. The population was 649 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Hermitage micropolitan area.

Its first post office opened in 1833. Its population held steady between the last two censuses: 659 in 2010, 649 in 2020.

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

Timeline

Sandy Lake, 1828 to 1911

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1828Born hereAlbert Gallatin Egbert is born here
  3. 1833Post officeThe Sandy Lake post office opens
  4. 1881Born hereTerry Turner is born here
  5. 20th century
  6. 1911On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Sandy Lake, decade by decade

Today6 recent
PA 173 sb in Sandy Lake Borough (1), June 20242024PA 173 sb in Sandy Lake Borough (1), June 2024PA 173 sb entering Sandy Lake Borough, June 20242024PA 173 sb entering Sandy Lake Borough, June 2024Main at Lacock2019Main at LacockUS Route 62 - Pennsylvania2014US Route 62 - PennsylvaniaUS Route 62 - Pennsylvania2014US Route 62 - PennsylvaniaUS Route 62 - Pennsylvania2009US Route 62 - Pennsylvania
Every building

Sandy Lake, building by building, 1904–1910

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.

Sandy Lake fire insurance map, 1904, sheet 11904Sheet 1 of 2
Edition
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

People over time

Sandy Lake, census by census

020040060080018801900192019401960198020002020Peak: 838

Between 428 and 838 people in every census since 1870.

16 censuses, 1870–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Sandy Lake’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

2 famous people were born in Sandy Lake

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Terry TurnerAmerican baseball player · b. 1881
Albert Gallatin EgbertUnion Army soldier, politician · b. 1828

Questions about Sandy Lake’s history

What year was Sandy Lake founded?

The Sandy Lake post office opened in 1833, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1849.

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). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (6), 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 and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.