West Bradford Township dates to 1705, and 12 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 85% of U.S. towns · #251 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
Most of West Bradford Township was built recently: 6% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1985. 12 places in town are on the National Register, among them the Humphry Marshall House, a National Historic Landmark, and two historic districts with 76 buildings between them. Below: maps from 1901 on and the census since 1930.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1805.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives West Bradford Township’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, West Bradford Township is more historic than 85% of U.S. towns, #251 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of West Bradford Township’s overall grade.
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 West Bradford Township’s 59.9 sits above most of its state (86% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 88 historic buildings outnumber those of 89% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1705.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A+. The pre-1940 share (±2.3 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: Wikidata (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 West Bradford Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
There are three federal historic districts, Marshallton, Trimbleville, and Northbrook, that are located within West Bradford Township and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Also listed are the Baily Farm, the Bradford Friends Meetinghouse, the Como Farm, the Derbydown Homestead, the Humphry Marshall House, the Marshallton Inn, and the Temple-Webster-Stoner House.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of West Bradford Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1901West Chester 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 West Bradford Township.
People over time
West Bradford Township, census by census
Grew from 1,558 people in 1930 to 14,316 in 2020, 9 times over.
10 censuses, 1930–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on West Bradford Township’s Wikipedia page.
Places that used to be
Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds
Two other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.
Marshallton
1805–1901
Romansville
1880–1905
18001910today
Hamlets and corners on the map
MarshalltonRomansvilleWoodwards Corner
Gone or out of use
Bob Shannon Memorial Fieldairport
6cemeteries and burying grounds inside West Bradford Township
BradfordBradford FriendsMarshallton United Methodist ChurchRomansville FriendsRomansville United Methodist ChurchSaint Joseph
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Stories next door
History across the town line
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1705, according to Wikidata. West Bradford Township’s post office opened in 1805, and the census of 1930 counted 1,558 people here.
How does West Bradford Township rank for history?
West Bradford Township is more historic than 85% of U.S. towns, #251 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 West Bradford Township?
12 listings: 10 buildings, among them the Humphry Marshall House (a National Historic Landmark since 1987) and the Humphry Marshall House (listed 1971, the first), and 2 historic districts, the Trimbleville Historic District and the Marshallton Historic District, with 76 contributing buildings. 88 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in West Bradford Township?
6% of West Bradford Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.3 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1985.
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 Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (12), 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) 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.
