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A−History
History · Swarthmore

Swarthmore’s post office opened in 1870, and 47% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 77% of U.S. towns · #364 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it

3 places in town are on the National Register, among them the Benjamin West Birthplace, a National Historic Landmark, and a historic district. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1894 on, and the census since 1900.

1870first post office
3on the National Register
47%homes built before 1940
5old photos & papers
7famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Swarthmore’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Swarthmore began

When was Swarthmore founded?

1870

The Swarthmore post office opened in 1870, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1893. Another post office, Oakdale (1852), opened inside today’s town and later closed.

First census: 903 in 19002020 census: 6,543156 years

How historic is Swarthmore?

A−

More historic than 77% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: the first Swarthmore post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Wikidata: 1893.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Swarthmore’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Swarthmore is more historic than 77% of U.S. towns, #364 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Swarthmore’s overall grade.
Founding era1870, from the first post office: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 194046.5% of homes (±7.4) · typical PA town 17.7% · U.S. 8.4%A+National Register3 listings, 4.6 per 10,000 residents · typical PA town 2.1 · U.S. 2.4B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 77%
NewerOlder
Pennsylvania towns of 2,500+ (1,035)Ahead of 65%

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 Swarthmore’s 4.6 sits above most of its state (66% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 3 listings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.

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 (±7.4 points). The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date; Wikidata’s 1893 falls in the same era, so the grade doesn’t depend on which one is used.

Founding year: the first post office (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 Swarthmore’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

On the map since 18946 editions of the USGS map, 1894 to 1994. Watch Swarthmore change.A National Historic Landmark3 places on the National Register, including Benjamin West Birthplace, a National Historic Landmark.Old housesHalf of Swarthmore’s homes were built before 1949.
★ What stands out · On the map

Swarthmore on the map, 1894 to 1994

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Swarthmore. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Swarthmore on the 1894 USGS mapSwarthmore on the 1942 USGS mapSwarthmore on the 1956 USGS mapSwarthmore on the 1967 USGS mapSwarthmore on the 1973 USGS mapSwarthmore on the 1994 USGS map1894Chester 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 Swarthmore.

On the National Register

3 historic places in Swarthmore

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. One is a National Historic Landmark, the highest tier.

places listed
3
National Historic Landmark
1
Benjamin West Birthplace
historic buildings protected
3
each building in a district counts
first listed
1966
Benjamin West Birthplace
Ogden HouseBenjamin West Birthplace, built 1724★
BuildingsDistricts★ landmark
★ Landmark
Benjamin West BirthplaceBuilt 1724
Ogden HouseBuilding
All 3 listings
Swarthmore Borough Center Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2026

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

The story

How Swarthmore came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Swarthmore.

Read it all →

Originally, the area belonged to the Lenape people. It was settled in the late 1600s by Quakers after William Penn granted them the land. By the early 1800s, it was still mainly farmland, and was known as Westdale in honor of local artist Benjamin West. It was part of Springfield Township, but the area began to become a distinct town after Swarthmore College was founded in 1864. The advent of passenger rail service from Philadelphia in the 1880s greatly enhanced the desirability of the borough as a commuter suburb, and the borough was incorporated in 1893.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Swarthmore in 1914

Passages that mention Swarthmore, cut from the printed page as they were published.

served an apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade, before attending Swarthmore. After leaving school finally, he spent three years in Philadelphia as clerk in the Central Hardware store. He then located in Swarthmore, where until 1912 he was engaged successfully as a contractor and builder. In 1912…
A history of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and its people1914 · page 1052Read the page →
Read the text

served an apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade, before attending Swarthmore. After leaving school finally, he spent three years in Philadelphia as clerk in the Central Hardware store. He then located in Swarthmore, where until 1912 he was engaged successfully as a contractor and builder. In 1912 he opened a hardware store in Swarthmore, where he has a well established and profitable business in both store and contracting departments. Mr. Durnall is a Republican in politics, and in religious faith adheres to the religious belief of his ancestors, belonging to the Society of Friends. He is a member of George W. Bar-

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.

Timeline

Swarthmore, 1724 to 1969

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 18th century
  2. 1724BuiltBenjamin West Birthplace is built
  3. 19th century
  4. 1852Post officeThe Oakdale post office opens
  5. 1860In the archiveBenjamin West's residence
  6. 1870Post officeThe Swarthmore post office opens
  7. 1880In the archive1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Pennsylvania - Delaware County - Swarthmore - ED …
  8. 1883Born hereSarah Field Splint is born here
  9. 1892Post officeThe Oakdale post office closes
  10. 1894On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  11. 1897In the archivePresby Church in
  12. 20th century
  13. 1923In the archiveSwarthmore PA Presby PHS591
  14. 1947Born hereJessie Stratton is born here
  15. 1960Born hereMargot Mifflin is born here
  16. 1965LandmarkBenjamin West Birthplace named a National Historic Landmark
  17. 1969Born hereJoe Valerio is born here
By decade

Swarthmore, decade by decade

4 decades in the archive, from the 1860s to the 1920s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1860s–1920s4 items
Benjamin West's residence1860Benjamin West's residence1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Pennsylvania - Delaware County - Swarthmore - ED 23-169, ED 23-170, ED 23-17118801940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Pennsylvania …Presby Church in1897Presby Church inSwarthmore PA Presby PHS5911923Swarthmore PA Presby PHS591
1930s–1990snothing yet
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.
Add from your album
Date unknown1 to date
William Pennock HouseDate?William Pennock House
Today11 recent
Trinity Church from PA 320, Swarthmore, Nov. 20252025Trinity Church from PA 320, Swarthmore, Nov. 2025Swarthmore, PA veterans memorial, Nov. 20252025Swarthmore, PA veterans memorial, Nov. 2025Swarthmore, PA borough hall and Public Library, Nov. 20252025Swarthmore, PA borough hall and Public Library, Nov. …Swarthmore, PA United Methodist Church, Nov. 20252025Swarthmore, PA United Methodist Church, Nov. 2025Swarthmore ville from train station2020Swarthmore ville from train stationSwarthmore ville from South Chester Rd2020Swarthmore ville from South Chester RdSwarthmore co-op2020Swarthmore co-opSwarthmore PA Library n Municipal Building2017Swarthmore PA Library n Municipal BuildingSwarthmore, Delaware County, Pennsylvania2007Swarthmore, Delaware County, PennsylvaniaTrinity Episcopal Church, Swarthmore, PA, Crucifixion Window2004Trinity Episcopal Church, Swarthmore, PA, Crucifixion…TrinityChSwatWestSide2003TrinityChSwatWestSide
Every building

Swarthmore, building by building, 1909

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a sheet.

Swarthmore fire insurance map, 1909, sheet 11909Sheet 1 of 11
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Benjamin West's residence
Retake this viewBenjamin West's residence, 1860

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Swarthmore’s page.

Retake this view · +15
People over time

Swarthmore, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0004,5005,0005,5006,0006,5007,00019001920194019601980200020206,543

Grew from 903 people in 1900 to 6,543 in 2020, 7 times over.

13 censuses, 1900–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Swarthmore’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

7 famous people were born in Swarthmore

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
M
Margot MifflinAmerican journalist, writer and professor · b. 1960
Sarah Field SplintAmerican author, editor, consultant, and femini… · b. 1883
J
Jessie StrattonAmerican politician · b. 1947
J
Joe ValerioAmerican football player · b. 1969
P
Patricia VaurieAmerican entomologist · b. 1909
T
Tink TurnerAmerican baseball player and coach · b. 1890
Places that used to be

Lost post offices and burying grounds

Swarthmore’s post office has been open since 1870. Another post office, Oakdale, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Oakdale
1852–1892
Swarthmore
1870–today
18501940today
1cemetery inside Swarthmore
Swarthmore Presbyterian Church Memorial Garden

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Help out

Start Swarthmore’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Swarthmore’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Date a photo1 archive item has no date. Guess the decade.+2Retake an old viewBenjamin West's residence: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Nether Providence Township3 historic placesA−Springfield TownshipIts storyBRidley TownshipIts storyCFolsomIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townWoodlynIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Swarthmore’s history

What year was Swarthmore founded?

The Swarthmore post office opened in 1870, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1893.

How does Swarthmore rank for history?

Swarthmore is more historic than 77% of U.S. towns, #364 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 Swarthmore?

Three places: the Benjamin West Birthplace (listed 1966), the Ogden House (1979) and the Swarthmore Borough Center Historic District (2026).

How old are the homes in Swarthmore?

47% of Swarthmore’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.4 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1949.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

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 (14), the Library of Congress (2), the National Register of Historic Places (3), 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, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) 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.