On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Springdale Township is more historic than 64% of U.S. towns. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
B
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Springdale 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 Springdale Township’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 1820.
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 (±5.9 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 Springdale Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Peaked at 5,602 in 1960; 3,400 people lived here in 2020.
13 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Springdale Township’s Wikipedia page.
On the map
Springdale Township on the map, 1908 to 1993
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Springdale Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1908New Kensington 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 Springdale Township.
Timeline
Springdale Township, 1820 to 1975
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Springdale Borough was incorporated in 1906, when it separated from Springdale Township. It was named after local natural springs and the surrounding small valley, or dale. The area was originally inhabited by Native American tribes, but soon colonized by European settlers. The town became a bustling railroad town and a hub for the coal industry in the late 1800s and the early 1900s. Springdale originally got its name in the year 1820 by either Hannah Keene or her daughter, Frances Keene. Before this, the town is believed to have been known as "Deertown." Today, Springdale is a quiet residential community with a small downtown area and many small businesses.
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.
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 1820, according to Wikidata. Springdale Township’s post office opened in 1912, and the census of 1880 counted 456 people here.
How does Springdale Township rank for history?
Springdale Township is more historic than 64% 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 Springdale Township?
23% of Springdale Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.9 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1960.
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 (11), Wikidata (1), Wikipedia, 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.
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