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History · Smoketown

Smoketown’s post office opened in 1914, and 21% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1906 on and old-book passages.

1914first post office
0on the National Register
21%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Nashmanhemi at en.wikipedia · Public domain
Quick answers

How Smoketown began

When was Smoketown founded?

1914

The Smoketown post office opened in 1914, the earliest record of the town by name.

2020 census: 390112 years
Founding year: the first Smoketown post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).

What stands out about Smoketown’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 Smoketown are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19067 editions of the USGS map, 1906 to 1992. Watch Smoketown change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Smoketown’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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On the map

Smoketown on the map, 1906 to 1992

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

Smoketown on the 1906 USGS mapSmoketown on the 1941 USGS mapSmoketown on the 1956 USGS mapSmoketown on the 1969 USGS mapSmoketown on the 1975 USGS mapSmoketown on the 1987 USGS mapSmoketown on the 1992 USGS map1906New Holland 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 Smoketown.

The story so far

Smoketown, in brief

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

Smoketown is an unincorporated village and census-designated place (CDP) in East Lampeter Township, Pennsylvania, United States. Also known as Smoke Town, it is served by the Smoketown Airport. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 357.

Its first post office opened in 1914. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 357 to 390 (+9%).

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

From the old history books

What they wrote about Smoketown in 1883

Passages that mention Smoketown, cut from the printed page as they were published.

West Enterprise.— This village is situated on a road leading from the old road at Smoketown to the Horse-Shoe road, one and a half miles northwest of Bird-in-Hand. The railroad station and pust-oflice is Wituier's. This village is"* of recent origin, having all been built since the building of the …
History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania1883Read the page →
Read the text

West Enterprise.— This village is situated on a road leading from the old road at Smoketown to the Horse-Shoe road, one and a half miles northwest of Bird-in-Hand. The railroad station and pust-oflice is Wituier's. This village is"* of recent origin, having all been built since the building of the PeniisyTvania Railroad, in 1836. It is quite a thriving place, contains two large general stores, a fine c:ilii-

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.

By decade

Smoketown, decade by decade

Today6 recent
PA 340 eb in Smoketown, Dec. 20232023PA 340 eb in Smoketown, Dec. 2023PA 340 eb approaching PA 896, Dec. 20232023PA 340 eb approaching PA 896, Dec. 2023Smoketown Airport (S37) in 20202020Smoketown Airport (S37) in 2020Smoketown, Pennsylvania2011Smoketown, PennsylvaniaSmoketown, Pennsylvania2011Smoketown, PennsylvaniaWest end of Smoketown Airport, Pennsylvania2006West end of Smoketown Airport, Pennsylvania
Famous people

Famous people close to Smoketown

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

See all →
Jonathan GroffAmerican actor and singer · b. 1985
Floyd LandisAmerican road racing cyclist · b. 1975
Beth BehrsAmerican actress · b. 1985
Taylor KinneyAmerican actor · b. 1981
Todd YoungUnited States Senator from Indiana · b. 1972
Robert SmithUnited States Secretary of the Navy · b. 1757
Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Bird-in-HandIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Smoketown’s history

What year was Smoketown founded?

The Smoketown post office opened in 1914, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

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), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps 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.