Spring Grove dates to 1747, and 37% of its homes were built before 1940
Among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns · #24 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
1 place in town is on the National Register, among them a historic district with 199 buildings. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1920 on, and the census since 1880.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1911.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Spring Grove’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Spring Grove is among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns, #24 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. All 3 inputs put Spring Grove near the top nationally; its age ranks highest.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Spring Grove’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 Spring Grove’s 818 sits above most of its state (96% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 199 historic buildings outnumber those of 93% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1747.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would still be A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±6.5 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 Spring Grove’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The site of Spring Grove was laid out in 1747 on the banks of Codorus Creek, midway between York and Hanover, by a surveyor for the Penns. Its growth since that time falls into two periods, each lasting approximately 100 years. The first witnessed development of the borough as an iron-making center. The second, which extends to the present day, is as a papermaking center. The businesses of both periods have relied on certain natural resources of the area.
Dr. M. A. Hoke and Dr. C. Bahn, located in the new town of Spring Grove, and have grown up with the place. At Jefferson Dr. William Brinkman succeeded Di-. Hambaugh about forty years ago, and for a long time attended to all the sick in the town and surrounding country, until 1870, when Dr. Z. C. Jones moved to the
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of York County, Pennsylvania1886 · page 119Read the page →
Read the text
which field he has been eminently successful, and is now enjoying a large patronage. He was the prime mover and worker in securing the incorporation of Spring Grove into a borough, and was the first burgess; he also takes an active interest in the schools and is now serving upon the school board.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of York County Pennsylvania1907 · page 1016Read the page →
Read the text
he believes best fitted for the office. His efforts have met with unqualified success, and he is justly placed with the solid, substantial men of Spring Grove. In addition to holding a large interest in the brick manufactories mentioned, he is a stockholder in the People's National Bank of Spring Grove.
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
Spring Grove, decade by decade
2 decades in the archive, from the 1920s to the 1930s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
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.
In 1747, according to Wikidata. Spring Grove’s post office opened in 1911, and the census of 1880 counted 208 people here.
How does Spring Grove rank for history?
Spring Grove is among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns, #24 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 Spring Grove?
One place: the Spring Grove Borough Historic District (listed 1984).
How old are the homes in Spring Grove?
37% of Spring Grove’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.5 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1959.
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), the National Register of Historic Places (1), 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 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.
2009
2009
2009
2009