Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives West Pittston’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, West Pittston is more historic than 55% of U.S. towns, #668 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. 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 Pittston’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 Pittston’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.
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 (±8.6 points). Two sources give 1857.
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 Pittston’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of West Pittston. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1893Pittston 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 Pittston.
People over time
West Pittston, census by census
Peaked at 7,943 in 1940; 4,652 people lived here in 2020.
17 censuses, 1860–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on West Pittston’s Wikipedia page.
West Pittston was settled in the 1770s. On July 1, 1778, during the Revolutionary War, Fort Jenkins (a patriot stockade in present-day West Pittston) surrendered to the British (under Major John Butler). It was later burned to the ground. On July 3, the Battle of Wyoming was fought only several miles outside of West Pittston. It was incorporated as a borough in 1857. The West Pittston Police Department was also established that same year. West Pittston was the home of Company D, 1st Battalion, 109th Infantry Regiment, which is part of the 28th Infantry Division.
Passages that mention West Pittston, cut from the printed page as they were published.
A history of Wilkes-Barré, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, from its first beginnings to the present time1909 · page 805Read the page →
Read the text
I, he was one of the original proprietors of Exeter Township (laid out in November, 1772), and there he settled with his family. He erected his dwelling-house within the present limits of West Pittston. upon the top of the high bank overlooking the Susquehanna River, about ten or twelve rods above the northwest end of the present Pittston Ferry bridge. From that period, until about the time of his death, John Jenkins filled a leading position in the public affairs of the Wyoming settlements, and his name is frequently mentioned in the following pages. He was one of the two Representatives from the town of Westmoreland present at the sessions of the General Assembly of Connecticut held in May, 1776, and in May and October, 1777. From June, 1777. till June, 1778, he held, by appointment of the General As-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections1893 · page 658Read the page →
Read the text
invaders. The fort was simply a log house surrounded by a stockade as all these early buildings were at that time. It was situated about fifty yards above the west end of the bridge, but the ground where it stood has since been washed away. An orchard once stood above the West Pittston end of the depot bridge, but the gradual encroachments of the river have uprooted nearly all of it. A few old landmarks are still left. The residence of Mr. Carr, corner of Wyoming and Luzerne avenues, is one of the old original farmhouses built when this was a part of Exeter township. J. W. Miller's house, the old ferry-house and John S.
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
West Pittston, 1857 to 1940
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
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.
In 1857, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1860 counted 599 people here.
How does West Pittston rank for history?
West Pittston is more historic than 55% of U.S. towns, #668 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.
How old are the homes in West Pittston?
49% of West Pittston’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±8.6 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1942.
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 (4), the Library of Congress (2), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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.
1892![A0371-A0372--West Pittston, PA [1906.04.25]](https://images.townratings.com/story/15058/bae38a0138ec804421ac-s.jpg)
1906
1907
1907