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History · Virginville

Virginville’s post office opened in 1839, and 50% of its homes were built before 1940

2 places in town are on the National Register. Below: maps from 1909 on.

1839first post office
2on the National Register
50%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Virginville began

When was Virginville founded?

1839

The Virginville post office opened in 1839, the earliest record of the town by name.

2020 census: 334187 years
Founding year: the first Virginville post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓

What stands out about Virginville’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 Virginville are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Virginville’s homes were built before 1938.On the map since 19097 editions of the USGS map, 1909 to 1997. Watch Virginville change.Deep rootsA post office since 1839: 187 years of Virginville.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Virginville’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Virginville’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
The story

How Virginville came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Virginville.

Read it all →

The origin of the name Virginville is obscure. Some say it is the English translation of a Native American word, while others believe the community was named for virgin forests in the area. "Virgin" may be an alternate translation of the Indian-named Maiden Creek, which runs through the town and also meets up with Sacony Creek.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

On the map

Virginville on the map, 1909 to 1997

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

Virginville on the 1909 USGS mapVirginville on the 1911 USGS mapVirginville on the 1944 USGS mapVirginville on the 1956 USGS mapVirginville on the 1969 USGS mapVirginville on the 1974 USGS mapVirginville on the 1997 USGS map1909Hamburg 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 Virginville.

By decade

Virginville, decade by decade

Today6 recent
Main St 460-4642013Main St 460-464Main St 4572013Main St 457Main St 4362013Main St 436Fire Co Station 332013Fire Co Station 33Chapel St 42013Chapel St 4Virginville Hotel2007Virginville Hotel
On the National Register

2 listings protect 93 historic buildings

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

places listed
2
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
93
each building in a district counts

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

Famous people

Famous people close to Virginville

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

See all →
George S. MessersmithAmerican diplomat · b. 1883
Bill BeckleyAmerican artist · b. 1946
A
Amy ShumanAmerican baseball player · b. 1925
D
Doug ClemensAmerican baseball player · b. 1939
Richard EtchbergerUS Air Force NCO and posthumous recipient of th… · b. 1933
A
Allan Kuhn GrimUnited States federal judge · b. 1904
Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Richmond Township4 historic placesAGreenwich Township7 historic placesAPerry Township1 historic placeB+

Questions about Virginville’s history

What year was Virginville founded?

The Virginville post office opened in 1839, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

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), Wikipedia and U.S. Geological Survey historical maps. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.