The Shamokin post office opened in 1829, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1835. Another post office, Coal (1838), opened inside today’s city and later closed.
First census: 2,191 in 18502020 census: 6,942197 years
How historic is Shamokin?
A−
More historic than 78% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: the first Shamokin post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Wikidata: 1835.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Shamokin’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Shamokin is more historic than 78% of U.S. towns, #360 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Shamokin’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 Shamokin’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.
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 (±4.3 points). The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date; Wikidata’s 1835 falls in the same era, so the grade doesn’t depend on which one is used.
Founding year: the first post office (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 Shamokin’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Shamokin. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1892Shamokin 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 Shamokin.
Every building
Shamokin, building by building, 1885–1922
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.
The first humans to settle Shamokin were probably Shawnee migrants.
A large population of Lenape Indians (also known as Delaware Indians) resettled there in the early 18th century after the Walking Purchase along the eastern border of the colonial Province of Pennsylvania in the upper northern reaches of the Delaware River in 1737. Canasatego of the Six Nations, enforcing the Walking Purchase on behalf of Deputy Governor of Pennsylvania George Thomas, ordered the Lenape to two places on the Susquehanna River. Moravian missionaries were also early visitors to and settlers at Shamokin.
Passages that mention Shamokin, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, including its aboriginal history1891 · page 621Read the page →
Read the text
Martz was succeeded by Casper SchoU. The first daily mail was introduced by Thomas Doman, who had a contract for carrying the mails between Sunbury and Philadelphia.* As a postoffice designation, Shamokin was first applied to the village of Snufftown, the mail distributing point for a large part of the extensive township of Shamokin. On the 28th of December, 1840, the name of Coal postoffice was changed to Shamokin, and that of Paxinos substituted for the latter at SnufPtown. William Fagely continued in charge, and his succes-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, including its aboriginal history1891 · page 322Read the page →
Read the text
The Shamokin and Trevorton Railroad, extending from Shamokin to Trevorton, a distance of eight miles, was opened to travel on the 2d of August, 1869, when the running of through trains from Shamokin to Herndon was inaugurated. It is now operated as part of the Herndon branch of the Williamsport division, with stations at Shamokin, Water Station, Kulp's, and Trevorton.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania1891 · page 322Read the page →
Read the text
The Shamokin and Trevorton Railroad, extending from Shamokin to Trevorton, a distance of eight miles, was opened to travel on the 2d of Aucmst, 1869, when the running of through trains from Shamokin to Herndon was inairgurated. It is now operated as part of the Herndon branch of the Williamsport division, with stations at Shamokin, Water Station. Ktilp's, and Trevorton.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania1891 · page 621Read the page →
Read the text
Martz was succeeded by Casper Scholl. The first daily mail was introduced by Thomas Dornan, who had a contract for carrying the mails between Sunbury and Philadelphia.* As a postoffice designation, Shamokin was first applied to the village of Snufftown, the mail di.stributing point for a large part of the extensive township of Shamokin. On the 2Sth of December, 1840, the name of Coal postoffice was changed to Shamokin. and that of Paxinos substituted for the latter at Snuffto\vn. William Fagely continued in charge, and his succes-
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
Shamokin, 1829 to 1920
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
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.
The Shamokin post office opened in 1829, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1835.
How does Shamokin rank for history?
Shamokin is more historic than 78% of U.S. towns, #360 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 Shamokin?
65% of Shamokin’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.3 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1938.
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 (6), Wikipedia, 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, 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.
1851
1905