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Washington, Pennsylvania (2023)Photo: WeaponizingArchitecture · CC BY-SA 4.0
–Not graded
History · Washington Township

Washington Township dates to 1768, and 26% of its homes were built before 1940

Its Register listing is the Grimes Covered Bridge. Below: 18 old photos and papers, maps from 1901 on, and the census since 1810.

1768founded
1on the National Register
26%homes built before 1940
18old photos & papers
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Washington Township’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Washington Township began

When was Washington Township founded?

1768

Washington Township dates its founding to 1768 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1810.

First census: 1,301 in 18102020 census: 932258 years
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1839.The full story ↓

What stands out about Washington Township’s past

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

A town in postcards18 old photos, postcards and papers, 1865–1930.Lost villages2 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Washington Township, and 3 old place names are still on the map.On the map since 19013 editions of the USGS map, 1901 to 1973. Watch Washington Township change.Boom and bustPeaked at 26,280 in 1950; 13,176 people lived here in 2020.
★ What stands out · By decade

Washington Township, decade by decade

6 decades in the archive, from the 1860s to the 1930s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1860s–1890s6 items
Koreshan David Walker Scott in1865Koreshan David Walker Scott in1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Pennsylvania - Washington County - Washington - ED 63-131 - ED 63-14918801940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Pennsylvania …Old Fairgrounds Washington PA 18971897Old Fairgrounds Washington PA 1897Tyler Tube and Pipe Company 18971897Tyler Tube and Pipe Company 1897Washington PA BEye view 18971897Washington PA BEye view 1897Washington, Pennsylvania, 18971897Washington, Pennsylvania, 1897
1910s–1920s5 items
CharlesNBrady1910CharlesNBradyPanoramic view of1911Panoramic view ofWashington PA 1st United Presby PHS6251923Washington PA 1st United Presby PHS625PostcardThe Young Rajah (1922) - 51923The Young Rajah (1922) - 5Washington PA 1st Presby PHS6241923Washington PA 1st Presby PHS624
1930s7 items
East Bean Street, Washington, Penna (84273)c. 1930East Bean Street, Washington, Penna (84273)PostcardHighway entering Washington, Penna., looking east on Route 40 (84272)c. 1930Highway entering Washington, Penna., looking east on …PostcardMcIlvaine Memorial Hall and Jessie Lazear Chemistry Hall, Washington and Jefferson College, Washington, Penna (84276)c. 1930McIlvaine Memorial Hall and Jessie Lazear Chemistry H…PostcardNorth Main Street at night, Washington, Penna (84274)c. 1930North Main Street at night, Washington, Penna (84274)PostcardOld main building and gymnasium, Washington and Jefferson College, Washington, Penna (84255)c. 1930Old main building and gymnasium, Washington and Jeffe…PostcardSam's Auto Court -- Route 40 -- 8 miles west of Washington, Pa (80073)c. 1930Sam's Auto Court -- Route 40 -- 8 miles west of Washi…PostcardWashington Motel, Washington, Pennsylvania (82085)c. 1930Washington Motel, Washington, Pennsylvania (82085)Postcard
1940s–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
Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners and burying grounds

Two other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Ruff Creek
1839–1910
Sycamore
1878–today
Swarts
1885–1914
18301930today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Ruff CreekSwartsSycamore
3cemeteries and burying grounds inside Washington Township
Bates ForkBethlehem Baptist ChurchJohnson

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

On the map

Washington Township on the map, 1901 to 1973

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

Washington Township on the 1901 USGS mapWashington Township on the 1961 USGS mapWashington Township on the 1973 USGS map1901Waynesburg 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 Washington Township.

The story

How Washington Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Washington Township.

Read it all →

The French labeled the area "Wissameking", meaning "catfish place", as early as 1757.

The area of Washington was settled by many immigrants from Scotland and the north of Ireland along with settlers from eastern and central parts of the Colony of Virginia, first settled around 1768.

The Pennsylvania General Assembly passed an act on March 28, 1781, establishing the County of Washington and naming "Catfish Camp" as the place for holding the first election.

Chapters18th century19th century20th century

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Washington Township in 1888

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

Mr. Swart bought a farm in Washington Township in 1843, and in 1880 he bought his present farm. In 1861 he purchased an interest in a general store, and they continued in business together for two years, when Mr. Swart became sole proprietor. He continued in the mercantile business for fifteen year…
History of Greene County, Pennsylvania,1888 · page 810Read the page →
Read the text

Mr. Swart bought a farm in Washington Township in 1843, and in 1880 he bought his present farm. In 1861 he purchased an interest in a general store, and they continued in business together for two years, when Mr. Swart became sole proprietor. He continued in the mercantile business for fifteen years, and sold his store in 1877. Mr.

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

Washington Township, 1768 to 1950

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

  1. 18th century
  2. 1768
    FoundingWashington Township is established
  3. 19th century
  4. 1839Post officeThe Ruff Creek post office opens
  5. 1865In the archiveKoreshan David Walker Scott in
  6. 1878Post officeThe Sycamore post office opens
  7. 1880In the archive1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Pennsylvania - Washington County - Washington - E…
  8. 1885Post officeThe Swarts post office opens
  9. 1897In the archiveOld Fairgrounds Washington PA 1897
  10. 20th century
  11. 1901On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  12. 1910In the archiveCharlesNBrady
  13. 1910Post officeThe Ruff Creek post office closes
  14. 1914Post officeThe Swarts post office closes
  15. 1923In the archiveWashington PA 1st United Presby PHS625
  16. 1930In the archiveEast Bean Street, Washington, Penna (84273)
  17. 1950CensusPopulation peaks at 26,280
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.

Koreshan David Walker Scott in
Retake this viewKoreshan David Walker Scott in, 1865

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

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

1 historic place in Washington Township

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

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
1
each building in a district counts
first listed
1979
Grimes Covered Bridge
Grimes Covered Bridge
Structures

Architectural styles listings

Kingpost Truss1
Grimes Covered BridgeKingpost Truss

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

People over time

Washington Township, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,0001850190019502000Peak: 26,280

Peaked at 26,280 in 1950; 13,176 people lived here in 2020.

22 censuses, 1810–2020.

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

Help out

Finish Washington Township’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
3 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewKoreshan David Walker Scott in: 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.

Amwell Township5 historic placesAFranklin Township4 historic placesAWest Bethlehem Township2 historic placesAMorris TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townMorris Township2 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townMorgan Township2 historic placesA

Questions about Washington Township’s history

What year was Washington Township founded?

In 1768, according to Wikidata. Washington Township’s post office opened in 1839, and the census of 1810 counted 1,301 people here.

What is on the National Register in Washington Township?

One place: the Grimes Covered Bridge (listed 1979).

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 (18), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, 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 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.