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Quick answers
How West Wyoming began
When was West Wyoming founded?
1898
West Wyoming dates its founding to 1898 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1900.
First census: 1,344 in 19002020 census: 2,638128 years
How historic is West Wyoming?
B−
More historic than 47% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives West Wyoming’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, West Wyoming is more historic than 47% of U.S. towns, #783 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 Wyoming’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 Wyoming’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 (±6.5 points). Two sources give 1898.
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 Wyoming’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
In 1768, the Susquehanna Company of Connecticut devised a plan to divide the Wyoming Valley into five townships. Each township was to be divided among forty settlers. West Wyoming was originally part of Kingston Township. The community's first forty settlers arrived in February 1769.
Benjamin Carpenter and his brother Gilbert developed several mills along the banks of Abrahams Creek around 1800. The earliest businesses included a grist mill and a saw mill.
The community eventually broke away from Kingston Township in 1885. The town was originally known as Carpentersville, Shoemaker's Mills, and New Troy. It was officially incorporated as the Borough of West Wyoming in 1898.
Passages that mention West Wyoming, cut from the printed page as they were published.
A history of Wilkes-Barré, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania1909 · page 168Read the page →
Read the text
West Wyoming, which is bounded by the boroughs of Wyoming, Exeter, and Swoyersville, and by the townships of Exeter and Kingston, was incorporated on June 23, 1898. Its history may be traced in that of Wyoming, also that of Kingston and Exeter townships. In 1900, the population of West Wyoming was 1,344; in 1910, 1,621 ; in 1920, 1,938.
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 Wyoming, 1893 to 1970
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 1898, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1900 counted 1,344 people here.
How does West Wyoming rank for history?
West Wyoming is more historic than 47% of U.S. towns, #783 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 Wyoming?
28% of West Wyoming’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.5 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1957.
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 (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.
2023