On its age, its old homes and the National Register, South Waverly is more historic than 74% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of South Waverly’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 Waverly’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.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1783.
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 (±13.8 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 Waverly’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of South Waverly yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
South Waverly is a borough in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The population was 1,070 at the 2020 census. South Waverly is part of the Penn-York Valley (called "The Valley"), a group of four contiguous communities in New York and Pennsylvania: Waverly, New York, South Waverly, Sayre, and Athens, with a combined population near 30,000.
South Waverly was established in 1783. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 1,027 to 1,070 (+4%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
From the old history books
What they wrote about South Waverly, 1878–1926
Passages that mention South Waverly, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History and Geography of Bradford County Pennsylvania1926 · page 185Read the page →
Read the text
South Waverly Borough.—As Waverly, New York, developed, a considerable part of the town formed south of the State line and was known as South Waverly. In January (1878, the Pennsylvania section of the town was incorporated as South Waverly borough. Its first officers were: Burgess, John B. Thompson ; Council, Willis Howard, Wm.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History and Geography of Bradford County Pennsylvania1926 · page 18Read the page →
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The stronghold and most populous town of the Andastes was Carantouan (see Athens) at the northern gate-way to their domain. It was situated on the hill just south of the State line, adjacent to the present village of South Waverly. Other fortified towns within Bradford county were at the junctions of Sugar Creek and Wyalusing Creek with the river (see North Towanda and Wyalusing). The Andastes, or Susquehannocks, appear to have been the most warlike of all the
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania1878 · page 168Read the page →
Read the text
Athens. Rev. Mr. Garvy followed him. Rev. James Loughran had charge of the parish after him. Rev. Father Costcllo is the present priest. There was a church erected in South Waverly in 1877. Next to Towanda, Ridgeberry is the oldest church in the county. Father O'Reilly came out there on horseback in 1843, and celebrated mass at the house of Daniel Cain. In 1847 the chapel was built at a cost of $750, and in 1877
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.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of South Waverly. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1957Sayre sheet · 1:24,000
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of South Waverly.
People over time
South Waverly, census by census
Between 854 and 1,382 people in every census since 1880.
15 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on South Waverly’s Wikipedia page.
Famous people
Famous people close to South Waverly
Nobody well known was born in South Waverly itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
In 1783, according to Wikidata. the census of 1880 counted 854 people here.
How does South Waverly rank for history?
South Waverly is more historic than 74% of U.S. towns. 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 South Waverly?
38% of South Waverly’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±13.8 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1954.
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 (3), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the USGS Geographic Names Information System 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.
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