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History · Valencia

Valencia dates to 1897, and 21% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1908 on and the census since 1900.

1897founded
0on the National Register
21%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Quick answers

How Valencia began

When was Valencia founded?

1897

Valencia dates its founding to 1897 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1900.

First census: 149 in 19002020 census: 537129 years
Founding year: Wikidata.The full story ↓

What stands out about Valencia’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 Valencia are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19084 editions of the USGS map, 1908 to 1969. Watch Valencia change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Valencia’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Valencia’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 map

Valencia on the map, 1908 to 1969

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

Valencia on the 1908 USGS mapValencia on the 1910 USGS mapValencia on the 1950 USGS mapValencia on the 1969 USGS map1908New 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 Valencia.

The story

How Valencia came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Valencia.

Read it all →

The original name of the town was Brookside, and subsequently Sunnyside in the 1890s, but was changed for the railroad, by the time of its incorporation as a borough, due to an existing stop with the same name in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It is unknown how the name Valencia was chosen. The borough's application for incorporation was granted in September 1896, and the office of burgess (later mayor) was established, to which James Douthett Magee was appointed, together with a seven-member council consisting of Edward Cowan, J. D. Perry, C. F. Harrobin, J. A. Cox, J. C. Barr, P. E. Cooper, and W. J. Craig.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Valencia, decade by decade

Today2 recent
Fall of2024Fall ofValencia Presbyterian Church2015Valencia Presbyterian Church
People over time

Valencia, census by census

01002003004005006001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 551

Between 149 and 551 people in every census since 1900.

13 censuses, 1900–2020.

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

Famous people

Famous people close to Valencia

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

See all →
William EytheAmerican actor · b. 1918
Herman (Swaiko)American Eastern Orthodox bishop · b. 1932
M
Margaret Fay ShawAmerican folklorist and musicologist · b. 1903
Cory MazzoniAmerican professional baseball pitcher for the … · b. 1989
Gene TenaceAmerican baseball player and coach · b. 1946
James Patton FlickAmerican politician · b. 1845
Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Adams TownshipIts storyC

Questions about Valencia’s history

What year was Valencia founded?

In 1897, according to Wikidata. the census of 1900 counted 149 people here.

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 (2), Wikipedia, 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.