On its age, its old homes and the National Register, West Easton is more historic than 56% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
B
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of West Easton’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 Easton’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (25% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1898.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to B+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±15.2 points).
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 Easton’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
West Easton traces its origin to the heirs of William Penn. In 1737, the Penns sold 500 acres of land to a James Hamilton, who in turn sold the land to Garrett Moor. In 1772, Mr. Moor sold 200 acres of the land to John Philip Odenwelder, Sr.
In 1834, William Penn's son, John Penn, laid out the Village of Odenweldertown. Adjoining his acreage was land that eventually became the Village of Mutchlertown in 1872. By 1877, Mutchlertown had 35 frame homes.
West Easton was incorporated by the Court of Quarter Sessions of Northampton County, Pennsylvania on May 30, 1898. However, the Decree of Incorporation was not filed until June 6, 1898, making the June 6 date its official date of incorporation.
Passages that mention West Easton, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Northampton County [Pennsylvania] and the grand valley of the Lehigh under supervision and revision of William J. Heller, assisted by an advisory board of editors..1920 · page 504Read the page →
Read the text
river and Bushkill creek. On the Bushkill creek in former days were located a number of flour and grist mills, some of which arc still in operation. Of the principal villages, Odenweldertown and Mutchlertown have become a part of the borough of West Easton. Seipsvillo is a small village three miles from Easton, and four miles from Nazareth. The first fair and cattle show in Northampton county was held in the fall of 1855 by the Northampton County Agricultural Society, on what is now the southwest corner of Fifteenth and Butler streets in the city of Easton.
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.
In 1898, according to Wikidata. the census of 1900 counted 1,000 people here.
How does West Easton rank for history?
West Easton is more historic than 56% of U.S. towns. 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.
How old are the homes in West Easton?
62% of West Easton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±15.2 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1938.
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 Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), 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.
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