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DHistory
History · South Hill

Half of South Hill’s homes were built after 1997

More historic than 8% of U.S. towns · #245 of 285 in Washington. What drives it

Most of South Hill was built recently: 0.7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1997. Below: maps from 1941 on and the census since 1980.

0on the National Register
0.7%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: SouthHillEditor · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers

About South Hill’s history

How historic is South Hill?

D

More historic than 8% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
The full story ↓
History grade

What drives South Hill’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, South Hill is more historic than 8% of U.S. towns, #245 of 285 in Washington. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.

D
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of South Hill’s overall grade.
Founding eraThere’s no founding date for South Hill we can vouch for, so age doesn’t count here–Homes built before 19400.7% of homes (±0.4) · typical WA town 4.3% · U.S. 8.4%DNational RegisterNo listings counted · typical WA town 0.1 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 8%
NewerOlder
Washington towns of 2,500+ (285)Ahead of 14%

Few Washington towns list much on the Register (a typical Washington town has 0.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so South Hill’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (27% of Washington towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share (±0.4 points) is firm at this size.

Founding year: our sources. 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 South Hill’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of South Hill are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Lost villages14 hamlets and corners are still on the map.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start South Hill’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how South Hill’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Places that used to be

Old corners

Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Americana Mobile Home ParkCedar Crest Mobile Home ParkCountry Aire Manor Mobile Home ParkCountry Dale Mobile Home ParkCountry West Mobile Home ParkFir Lane Valley Mobile Home ParkGreen Meadows Family Mobile Home ParkHidden Glen Mobile Home ParkMeridian Terrace Mobile ManorSan Souci Mobile EstatesShady Haven Mobile Home ParkSouth Hill Palisade Mobile Home ParkTall Firs Estates Mobile Home ParkViking Mobile Home Court

Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

The story

How South Hill came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of South Hill.

Read it all →

1909- Tacoma-Puyallup Interurban Line rail operates through South Hill

1944- Thun Field opens (Pierce County Airport today), although John Thun doesn't buy it until 1949

1945- Japan uses balloon bomb system to bomb mainland USA in World War II, and two of the bombs landed in South Hill

1950- Firgrove School District consolidates with Puyallup School District

1986- EPA places Pierce County Landfill in South Hill on the National Priorities List

1998- Proposal for South Hill's incorporation into Southview is defeated by voters

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

South Hill, decade by decade

Today30 recent
84 fehrenheit in October201284 fehrenheit in OctoberNo one gets between Momma sheep and her marshmallows2009No one gets between Momma sheep and her marshmallowsFlickr - brewbooks - Our Garden - June tour (7)2009Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden - June tour (7)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden - June tour (5)2009Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden - June tour (5)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden - June tour (3)2009Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden - June tour (3)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden - June tour (1)2009Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden - June tour (1)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (9)2008Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (9)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (8)2008Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (8)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (7)2008Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (7)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (5)2008Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (5)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (4)2008Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (4)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (24)2008Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (24)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (23)2008Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (23)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (22)2008Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (22)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (21)2008Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (21)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (17)2008Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (17)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (16)2008Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (16)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (15)2008Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (15)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (14)2008Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (14)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (13)2008Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (13)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (12)2008Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (12)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (11)2008Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden (11)Flickr - brewbooks - Maulua Gulch, Hamauka Coast, Hawaii2008Flickr - brewbooks - Maulua Gulch, Hamauka Coast, Haw…Flickr - brewbooks - Maulua Gulch, Hamauka Coast, Hawaii (1)2008Flickr - brewbooks - Maulua Gulch, Hamauka Coast, Haw…Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden - 2003 (9)2003Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden - 2003 (9)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden - 2003 (8)2003Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden - 2003 (8)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden - 2003 (6)2003Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden - 2003 (6)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden - 2003 (5)2003Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden - 2003 (5)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden - 2003 (4)2003Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden - 2003 (4)Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden - 2003 (10)2003Flickr - brewbooks - Our Garden - 2003 (10)
On the map

South Hill on the map, 1941 to 1997

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of South Hill. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

South Hill on the 1941 USGS mapSouth Hill on the 1961 USGS mapSouth Hill on the 1973 USGS mapSouth Hill on the 1981 USGS mapSouth Hill on the 1997 USGS map1941Tacoma South 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 South Hill.

People over time

South Hill, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,00030,00035,00040,00045,00050,00055,00060,00065,00070,00019802000202064,708

Grew from 7,035 people in 1980 to 64,708 in 2020, 9 times over.

5 censuses, 1980–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on South Hill’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

Famous people close to South Hill

Nobody well known was born in South Hill itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Sarah ButlerAmerican actress · b. 1985
G
George HuntAmerican rower · b. 1916
E
Eddie DewAmerican actor and director · b. 1909
Kelly Joe PhelpsAmerican blues musician and songwriter · b. 1959
Randy TateAmerican politician · b. 1965
Isaac JonesAmerican basketball player · b. 2000
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

GrahamIts storyDMcMillin1 historic placeB−Summit ViewIts storyC−FredericksonIts storyD−Puyallup4 historic placesB−

Questions about South Hill’s history

How does South Hill rank for history?

South Hill is more historic than 8% of U.S. towns, #245 of 285 in Washington. 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 South Hill?

0.7% of South Hill’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 4.3% for a Washington town; the median home was built in 1997.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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Sources

Where this page comes from

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 (30), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) 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.