Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 70% of U.S. towns · #471 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
Below: 4 old photos and papers, maps from 1894 on, and the census since 1880.
West Reading dates its founding to 1873 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1880.
More historic than 70% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, West Reading is more historic than 70% of U.S. towns, #471 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
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 Reading’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.
Founding year: Wikipedia (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 →
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how West Reading’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of West Reading. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of West Reading.
From Wikipedia’s history of West Reading.
The borough was settled in 1873 and incorporated on March 18, 1907. It celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2007.
In 2022, Samantha Kaag, West Reading’s first ever female Mayor, was elected and took office.
In 2023, seven people were killed in the 2023 Pennsylvania chocolate factory explosion.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention West Reading, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Belt Line. — A line of railroad was constructed through the eastern section of West Reading and opened for traffic in 1902 for the purpose of running coal and freig-ht trains around Reading, in order to avoid the congestion of trains at the depot and limit the interruption to business at the Penn street crossing.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
street, which he conducted five years, and then sold out to engage in the real estate business, which he has continued to the present time. Mr. Reeser built the first house in West Reading, opened the first street there, and inaugurated the water system. He also purchased a plot of land and laid out Woodvale, owning at present there about 500 lots, as well as Woodvale Mansion, a summer hotel and one of the
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.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
In the archive1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Pennsylvania - Berks County - West Reading - ED 6…
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
Born hereMichael W. Kirst is born here
Born hereAndrew H. Knoll is born hereOne decade in the archive so far: the 1880s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on West Reading’s page.
Retake this view · +15Between 170 and 5,072 people in every census since 1880.
13 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on West Reading’s Wikipedia page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
West Reading had its own post office from 1892 to 1916.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1873, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. West Reading’s post office opened in 1892, and the census of 1880 counted 170 people here.
West Reading is more historic than 70% of U.S. towns, #471 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.
59% of West Reading’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±8.7 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1938.
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
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, 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), 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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