Have you ever wondered about where Pennsylvania’s story really began?
Scattered into the hills, riversides, and cobblestone streets of this historic state are towns that were around long before America was even a country.
Some of them were first settled by Native American tribes, others by Swedish, Dutch, or English settlers, and a few have been standing for nearly 400 years.
We’re revealing the ten oldest towns in Pennsylvania, ranked by when people first set up permanent homes, not when they officially became towns or cities.
All of these places still exist today, and each one has a story worth telling.
Ready to trace things back to the beginning? Then let’s step into the past!
1. Marcus Hook (Founded 1640)
Marcus Hook’s roots trace back to a major Lenape settlement along the Delaware River, long before Pennsylvania’s colonial era.
Colonists from New Sweden set up a trading post here in 1640, calling the village “Chammassungh” or “Finland”.
When the Dutch took over in 1655, they changed the name to “Marrites Hoeck,” which eventually evolved into Marcus Hook.
Under William Penn’s rule in 1682, locals tried to change the name to “Chichester,” but the old name stuck.
Today, Marcus Hook still stands as a small borough, proud to be one of the first European settlements in the state.
2. Tinicum Island (Tinicum Township – Founded 1643)
In 1643, Tinicum Island became the site of Pennsylvania’s first European settlement, led by Governor Johan Printz of New Sweden.
He constructed Fort Nya Gothenburg here, made it the colonial capital, and even built his own residence—the Printzhof.
This island remained the seat of Swedish governance in the Delaware Valley until it was taken by the Dutch in 1655.
Today, the area is part of Tinicum Township (Delaware County) and holds a special place in the state’s early European history.
3. Chester (Founded 1644)
Chester, known initially as Upland, was settled by Swedish and Finnish colonists by 1644 and began as a tobacco plantation under New Sweden.
When William Penn arrived in 1682, this was the first place he set foot in his new province, and he quickly renamed it Chester after the English city.
In 1866, Chester became an official incorporated city and served as the colonial county seat for a time.
Its long history is reflected in landmarks like the Old Chester Courthouse (1724) and its identity as the oldest town in the Commonwealth.
4. Bristol (Founded 1681)
Bristol was founded in 1681, even before Pennsylvania was officially established.
A land grant from New York’s colonial governor (who then claimed this area) let settlers build a riverfront village here just as William Penn received his charter.
Named after Bristol in England, the town grew as a port on the Delaware River, with an early ferry connecting to New Jersey.
Thanks to its strategic location on the route between Philadelphia and New York, Bristol became a busy center of activity.
Over the years, it played key roles in shipping (with a canal for coal transport) and even shipbuilding during wartime.
Today, Bristol Borough features a charming historic district that captures more than 300 years of local heritage.
5. Philadelphia (Founded 1682)
Founded by William Penn in 1682, Philadelphia was envisioned as a “City of Brotherly Love,” which eventually became the state’s largest city.
He negotiated peacefully with the Lenape, and legend holds that Penn’s Treaty at Shackamaxon in 1682 ensured a lasting friendship.
He also laid out Philadelphia’s iconic grid plan between the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers.
By the early 1700s, Philadelphia had grown into one of the most important cities in colonial America, serving as a major port.
It later became the birthplace of the United States, hosting the First and Second Continental Congresses and the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Its rich history can be seen in landmarks like Independence Hall and hidden gems like the Boelson Cottage, which was built around 1678.
6. Darby (Founded 1682)
Darby, located just southwest of Philadelphia, was settled in 1682 by a group of Quaker families led by John Blunston.
These early settlers named the town after Derby, the place they had left behind in England.
As one of the first Quaker communities in Pennsylvania, Darby quickly established a Friends Meeting (Quaker meetinghouse).
It maintained strong relationships with local Indigenous people along Darby Creek and grew into a milling and market town during the colonial era.
Darby’s long history lives on in its 18th-century buildings and its status as one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the state.
7. Germantown (Founded 1683)
Germantown was founded in 1683 as Pennsylvania’s first permanent German settlement.
Led by Francis Daniel Pastorius, a group of German Quaker and Mennonite families purchased land from Penn and settled here in 1683.
Germantown became an independent township with its own identity, known for early industries like craftsmanship and weaving.
It was also the site of the 1688 Germantown Quaker Petition Against Slavery which was the first anti-slavery protest in America.
Since becoming part of Philadelphia in 1854, Germantown has kept its colonial identity alive through places like the Wyck House and reenactments of the 1777 Battle of Germantown.
8. Lancaster (Founded 1709)
Lancaster’s roots trace back to 1709, when Palatine Mennonites and other German immigrants settled in what was then called “Hickory Town.”
By 1729, the growing community became the seat of the newly formed Lancaster County and was soon known as Lancaster.
It went on to become one of America’s earliest inland towns, rich in history and culture.
Notably, Lancaster Central Market opened in 1730 and still operates today as one of the oldest continuously running farmers’ markets in the U.S.
During the mid-18th century, Lancaster became a busy market town for the surrounding farming region.
It also became the nation’s capital for a single day in 1777 during the Revolutionary War!
Lancaster’s heritage also reflects the region’s deeper history, with the Susquehannock living nearby in the Conestoga Indian Village until the 1760s.
9. Sunbury (Shamokin – Founded c.1710)
Long before its incorporation, the modern town of Sunbury was the site of Shamokin, a major Native American settlement established around 1700.
By 1711, Shamokin was a multi-ethnic trading village at the forks of the Susquehanna River—home to Lenape, Shawnee, and others under Iroquois oversight.
It became an important indigenous crossroads and later a focal point of Moravian missionary activity in the 1740s.
That chapter ended in 1756, when the village was burned and abandoned during the French and Indian War.
Soon after, colonial authorities built Fort Augusta on the site to protect the region and maintain a presence in the area.
In 1772, the town of Sunbury was laid out here, inheriting the legacy of Shamokin.
Today, Sunbury is one of Pennsylvania’s oldest continually occupied places, with its roots tracing back to a Native community from the early 18th century.
10. Harrisburg (Founded 1719)
Before it became the state capital, Harrisburg was just a simple trading post and ferry crossing on the Susquehanna River.
In 1719, English trader John Harris Sr. settled at what was then called “Harris’s Ferry,” where he built a log cabin and established a ferry business.
The area—known to local Native Americans as “Peixtin” or Paxtang—was a natural meeting point for Native trading paths and early colonial routes.
And because it sat in a gap in the Appalachian Mountains, Harris’s Ferry became a vital stop for travelers heading west.
In 1785, John Harris Jr. laid out the town and named it Harrisburg, and it was officially incorporated in 1791.
Though the formal town came later, the community had existed since the Harris family’s 1719 settlement, making Harrisburg one of Pennsylvania’s oldest towns.
Harrisburg began as a frontier post, grew into a canal and railroad hub, and by 1812, became Pennsylvania’s capital with deep roots in colonial history.
Sources: Historical records and references for founding years and origins have been drawn from Pennsylvania history archives and recent summaries, including local historical societies and the Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania.
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