On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Straban Township is more historic than 82% of U.S. towns, #289 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. All 2 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
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HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Straban 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 Straban Township’s 102 sits above most of its state (89% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 50 historic buildings outnumber those of 85% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.0 points).
Founding year: our sources. 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 Straban Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Straban Township was created in 1746 when the area was still part of Lancaster County. Named for Strabane, a town in Northern Ireland, this spelling was in use as late as the 1870s. For the most part, the original boundaries remain unchanged to this day. York County was formed out of Lancaster County in 1749, and for the next 51 years, Straban Township was a part of York County, until Adams County was formed in 1800.
The Hunterstown Historic District, Great Conewago Presbyterian Church and Wirts House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Straban Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1908Gettysburg 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 Straban Township.
Famous people
Famous people close to Straban Township
Nobody well known was born in Straban Township itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
Straban Township is more historic than 82% of U.S. towns, #289 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 Straban Township?
Three places: the Great Conewago Presbyterian Church (listed 1974), the Hunterstown Historic District (1979) and the Wirts House (1992).
How old are the homes in Straban Township?
13% of Straban Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.0 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1979.
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 the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, 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.
