Area History: Incorporation Dates for Pennsylvania Municipalities, Berks Co, PA Copyright © 1997 by Linnea Miller. This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. _____________________________________________________________________________ Based on information contained in "Incorporation Dates for Pennsylvania Municipalities", Comm of PA, Dept Internal Affairs, 1965 and other sources. Note: Numbers in parentheses refer to the reference sources listed at the end of this file. Berks County - 3rd Class Formed on March 11, 1752 from parts of Philadelphia, Chester & Lancaster Counties. [Archivist's Note: Also formed from part of Cumberland County] Third Class City: Reading; laid out as town in 1784; incorporated as a borough on Sept. 15, 1783; incorporated as 3rd Class City on Mar. 16, 1847. Boroughs: Bally; incorporated1912 (1, 2) or 1913 (3) from Washington Twp. Bechtelsville; settled 1869; incorporated Sept. 11, 1890 from Washington Twp. Bernville; settled 1819; incorporated 1851 from Penn Twp. Birdsboro; laid out 1740; incorporated July 11, 1872 (1) or Nov. 1872 (2,3) from Robeson Twp. Boyertown; laid out 1835; incorporated Oct. 20, 1866 from Colebrook Twp. Centerport; settled 1818; incorporated 1884 from Center Twp. Fleetwood; laid out 1868; incorporated Oct. 4, 1873 from Richmond Twp. Hamburg; settled 1732; incorporated Apr. 3, 1838 from Windsor Twp. Kenhorst; incorporated 1931 from Cumru Twp. Kutztown; settled 1779; incorporated 1815 from Maxatawny Twp. Laureldale; incorporated Apr. 8, 1930 from Muhlenburg Twp. Leesport; laid out 1842; incorporated 1901 from Ontelaunee Twp., called West Leesport Borough until 1958. Lenhartsville; laid out 1854; incorporated 1887 from Greenwich Twp. Lyons; incorporated June 20, 1927. Mohnton; settled 1846; incorporated Mar. 18, 1907 from Cumru Twp. Mount Penn; laid out 1800; incorporated Nov. 7, 1902 from Alsace Twp. Robesonia; incorporated 1913 (1,2) or 1903 (3) from Heidelberg Twp. St. Lawrence; incorporated Apr. 23, 1927 from Exeter Twp. Shillington; settled 1844; incorporated Aug. 18, 1908 from Cumru Twp. Shoemakersville; incorporated 1921 from Perry Twp. Sinking Spring; incorporated 1913 (1,2) or 1911 (3) from Lower Heidelberg Twp. Strausstown; incorporated 1920 from Upper Tulpehocken Twp. Temple; incorporated 1920 (1,2) or 1922 (3) from Muhlenberg Twp. Topton; settled 1859; incorporated Jan. 18, 1877 (1,2) or 1875 (3) from Longswamp Twp. Wernersville; incorporated 1914 from Heidelberg Twp. West Lawn; incorporated 1920 (1,2) or 1923 (3) from Spring Twp. West Reading; laid out 1873; incorporated Mar. 18, 1907 from Spring & Cumru Twps. Womelsdorf; laid out in 1762; incorporated 1833 from Heidelberg Twp. (At one time called Middletown). Wyomissing; laid out in 1896; incorporated July 22, 1906 from Spring Twp. Wyomissing Hills; incorporated 1920 from Spring Twp. Second Class Townships: Albany; settled 1743; incoporated 1752. Alsace; settled 1735; incorporated Mar. 4, 1745 (1) or 1744 (2,3) while part of Philadelphia Co. Amity; settled about 1693; incorporated Mar. 3, 1744 while part of Philadelphia County. In 1719, a petition was made to the Court to erect Amity Twp. and the Court granted the petition. However no record was made of the proceedings and the petition was renewed 25 years later in 1744. Bern; settled about 1734; incorporated 1738 while part of Lancaster Co. Bethel; settled 1735; incorporated May 1739 while part of Lancaster Co. Brecknock; settled 1729; incorporated 1741 while part of Lancaster Co. Caenarvon; settled 1700; incorporated 1729 while part of Chester Co. Centre; incorporated Jan. 2, 1843 from Bern, Upper Bern & Penn Twps. Colebrookdale; settled 1720; incorporated Sept. 7, 1741 while part of Philadelphia Co. Cumru; settled 1732; incorporated 1737 from Lancaster Co. District; incorporated 1759 from Oley & Colebrookdale Twps. Douglass; settled 1720; incorporated June 7, 1736 while part of Philadelphia Co. Earl; incorporated Nov 1781 from Oley Twp. Exeter; settles 1718; incorporated Dec. 7, 1741 while part of Philadelphia Co. Greenwich; settled 1749; incorporated 1755 from Albany Twp. Heidelberg; settled 1723; incorporated 1734 while part of Lancaster Co. Hereford; settled 1732; incorporated Feb. 1, 1753 from Colebrookdale Twp. Jefferson; settled about 1723; incorporated Jan. 28, 1852 (1) or 1851 (2,3) from Upper Tulpehocken Twp. Longswamp; settled 1734; incorporated May 1761 from Rockland Twp. Lower Alsace; settled 1714; incorporated 1888 from Alsace Twp. Lower Heidelberg; settled 1730; incorporated Sept. 15, 1842 from Heidelberg Twp. Maidencreek; settled 1732; incorporated Dec. 1746 (1,2) or 1748 (3) while part of Philadelphia Co. Marion; settled 1723; incorporated Apr. 6, 1844 (1) or 1843 (2,3) from Tulpehocken & Heidelberg Twps. Maxatawny; settled 1732; incorporated Sept. 6, 1742 while part of Philadelphia Co. Muhlenberg; incorporated Feb. 10, 1851 from Alsace Twp. North Heidelberg; settled about 1736; incorporated Jan. 9, 1845 from Heidelberg Twp. Oley; settled 1700; incorporated Sept. 1, 1740 while part of Philadelphia Co. Ontelaunee; settled about 1721; incorporated 1849 from Maidencreek Twp. Penn; settled 1735; incorporated Nov. 5, 1841 from Bern & Upper Bern Twps. Perry; settled 1735; incorporated 1852 from Windsor Twp. made a separate election district in 1821. Pike; incorporated Aug. 1813 (1) or 1812 (2,3) from Earl, Oley and Rockland Twps. Richmond; settled 1720; incorporated 1752 (1,2) or 1755 (3). Robeson; settled 1720; incorporated Aug. 1729 while part of Lancaster Co. Rockland; incorporated 1758 from Oley Twp. Ruscombmanor; settled 1749; incorporated 1752 (2) or 1759 (3). South Heidelberg; settled about 1730; incorporated June 20, 1914 from Lower Heidelberg Twp. Spring; settled about 1728; incorporated Nov. 23, 1850 from Cumru Twp. Tilden; incorporated 1887 from Upper Bern Twp. Tulpehocken; settled about 1707; incorporated 1729 while part of Lancaster Co. Union; settled 1684; incorporated 1752 (1,2) or 1753 (3) from Coventry Twp. Upper Bern; settled about 1730; incorporated 1789 from Bern Twp. Upper Bern Twp did not operate as a separate township until 1820. Upper Tulpehocken; settled about 1730; incorpoated Nov. 6, 1820 from Tulpehocken Twp. Washington; settled 1736; incorporated 1839 from Hereford & Colebrookdale Twps. Windsor; settled 1740; incorporated 1752. Reference Sources: (1) " Pennsylvania, Political, Governmental, Military and Civil: Political and Civil History Volume" by Frederick A. Godcharles, 1933. (2) " Historical & Biographical Annals of Berks County" , by Morton L. Montgomery, 1909. (3) " Berks County Governmental Functions and a Brief Historical Review" , by Berks County Commissioners, 1959. -- Linnea Travis Miller - Annville PA