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ThornburgHistoricDistrictPhoto: Lee Paxton · CC BY-SA 4.0
–Not graded
History · Thornburg

Thornburg dates to 1909, and 29% of its homes were built before 1940

1 place in town is on the National Register, among them a historic district with 63 buildings. Below: maps from 1904 on and the census since 1910.

1909founded
1on the National Register
29%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Thornburg began

When was Thornburg founded?

1909

Thornburg dates its founding to 1909 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1910.

First census: 230 in 19102020 census: 466117 years
Founding year: Wikidata.

What stands out about Thornburg’s past

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

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Thornburg are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.A historic districtThe Thornburg Historic District takes in 63 historic buildings.On the map since 19046 editions of the USGS map, 1904 to 1993. Watch Thornburg change.Old housesHalf of Thornburg’s homes were built before 1956.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Thornburg’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the National Register

1 listing protects 63 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
63
each building in a district counts
first listed
1982
Thornburg Historic District
Thornburg Historic District
Districts

Architectural styles listings

Shingle Style1
Colonial Revival1
Mission1
French Provincial1
Bungalow1
California Mission Style Bungalow1
Thornburg Historic DistrictShingle Style

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

On the map

Thornburg on the map, 1904 to 1993

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

Thornburg on the 1904 USGS mapThornburg on the 1948 USGS mapThornburg on the 1951 USGS mapThornburg on the 1960 USGS mapThornburg on the 1979 USGS mapThornburg on the 1993 USGS map1904Carnegie 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 Thornburg.

The story so far

Thornburg, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Thornburg yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Thornburg is a borough in Allegheny County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The population was 466 at the 2020 census.

Thornburg was established in 1909. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 455 to 466 (+2%).

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

By decade

Thornburg, decade by decade

Today6 recent
1109 Princeton Road, Thornburg, 2024-12-08-120241109 Princeton Road, Thornburg, 2024-12-08-11109 Cornell Road, Thornburg, 2024-12-0820241109 Cornell Road, Thornburg, 2024-12-081105 Princeton Road, Thornburg, 2024-12-0820241105 Princeton Road, Thornburg, 2024-12-081105 Cornell Road, Thornburg, 2024-12-0820241105 Cornell Road, Thornburg, 2024-12-08ThornburgHistoricDistrict2009ThornburgHistoricDistrictMap of Allegheny County PA Highlighting2007Map of Allegheny County PA HighlightingMap
People over time

Thornburg, census by census

0100200300400500600192019401960198020002020Peak: 617

Between 230 and 617 people in every census since 1910.

12 censuses, 1910–2020.

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

Famous people

Famous people close to Thornburg

Nobody well known was born in Thornburg itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Andy WarholAmerican artist, film director, and producer · b. 1928
Gene KellyAmerican dancer, actor, singer, director and ch… · b. 1912
R
Ron PaulAmerican politician · b. 1935
William Alfred FowlerAmerican nuclear physicist · b. 1911
F
F. Murray AbrahamAmerican actor · b. 1939
John KasichAmerican politician and former television host · b. 1952
Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Robinson TownshipIts storyC+Crafton1 historic placeB+

Questions about Thornburg’s history

What year was Thornburg founded?

In 1909, according to Wikidata. the census of 1910 counted 230 people here.

What is on the National Register in Thornburg?

One place: the Thornburg Historic District (listed 1982).

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). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (6), the National Register of Historic Places (1), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) 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.