South Park Township dates to 1845, and 4 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 70% of U.S. towns · #473 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
Most of South Park Township was built recently: 9% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1975. Below: maps from 1904 on and the census since 1970.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1842.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives South Park Township’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, South Park Township is more historic than 70% of U.S. towns, #473 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of South Park 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 South Park Township’s 2.9 sits near the middle of its state (61% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 4 listings outnumber those of 68% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1845.
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 (±3.1 points).
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 South Park Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
On the map
South Park Township on the map, 1904 to 1988
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of South Park Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1904Pittsburgh 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 South Park Township.
Composed of portions of St. Clair and Jefferson townships in 1845, South Park was originally called Snowden Township, named after John M. Snowden, a prominent businessman, politician and former Pittsburgh mayor, who had died earlier that year. In the 1930s, Allegheny County acquired several large parcels of farm land mostly within Snowden Township and created a regional recreational area named South Park. The huge success of South Park, and the fact the facility occupies roughly one-third of the community's total area, eventually prompted a 1966 referendum in which the township was renamed.
In 1845, according to Wikidata. South Park Township’s post office opened in 1842, and the census of 1970 counted 8,187 people here.
How does South Park Township rank for history?
South Park Township is more historic than 70% of U.S. towns, #473 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 South Park Township?
9% of South Park Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.1 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1975.
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 Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (4), 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) 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.
