Explore Our Town

Northumberland was founded in 1772. The land that became Northumberland was purchased from the Iroquois in the first Treaty of Fort Stanwix in 1768, and the village was laid out in 1772. During the American Revolution, Northumberland was evacuated during the Big Runaway in 1778, and only finally resettled in 1784.

Northumberland was the American home of eighteenth-century British theologian, Dissenting clergyman, natural philosopher, educator, and political theorist Joseph Priestley (1733–1804) from 1794 until his death in 1804. The Joseph Priestley House still stands on Priestley Avenue and is a National Historic Landmark on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and a museum administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. There is one other property in the borough on the NRHP: the Priestley-Forsyth Memorial Library, built by a great grandson of Joseph Priestley. Much of the borough is part of the Northumberland Historic District, which is also on the NRHP.

from Northumberland PA Wikipedia, please view link for more information.

The Northumberland Historic District is significant for its fine collection of residences, including a large number of early Federal structures, and for its early connection with the Reverend Joseph Priestley (1733 -1804), the exiled English theologian and scientist who lived in Northumberland for the last ten years of his life.

Northumberland's housing stock includes a very wide range of styles, from federal to Colonial Revival. The earliest Federal and folk houses date from the 1790's; the Federal style was active in the town until the 1830's. Northumberland has the largest collection of such residences in the region, along .with a scattering of very fine buildings in the Classical Revival, Gothic Revival, Greek Revival, ltalianate, Second Empire and Queen Anne styles. A number of well-detailed Colonial Revival types round out the collection.

Priestley's residence in Northumberland, though spanning his declining years, was still productive for the great thinker, and his presence influenced the town's cultural life immeasurably. His house has been restored as a museum, and is probably the finest example of Federal style building in the region.

Priestley house is open for regular scheduled tours on Saturday and Sunday afternoons (except Easter Sunday and Mother's Day) from March 10, 2019 until November 24, 2019. Visitor Center is open from 1 to 4 pm with tours at 1, 2 and 3 pm. Tours at other times can be arranged by calling 570-473-9474 or emailing info@josephpriestleyhouse.org.

Bells History of North'd County for North'd Borough ​​Birds Eye View of Northumberland ​ ​ ​Chamber of Commerce 1927​ ​ ​

Chamber Publication 1910 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​Community Annual Booklet 1925 ​ ​ ​ ​Eureka Lodge no 404 100th Anniversary

High School - Northumberland - 1883-1998 ​ ​ ​Northumberland County historic Site Inventory ​Northumberland Industry ​

Northumberland Industry Figures ​ ​ ​ ​ ​Our Town ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​Summary History NHD Figures 00-05

Summary History NHD Figures 06-10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​Summary History NHD Figures 11-17 ​ ​ ​Summary History of the Northumberland ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​Historic District