New River dates to 1868, and 2 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 33% of U.S. towns · #39 of 140 in Arizona. What drives it
Most of New River was built recently: 0.1% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 2003. 2 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 8 buildings. Below: maps from 1964 on and the census since 2000.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, New River is more historic than 33% of U.S. towns, #39 of 140 in Arizona. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
C
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of New River’s overall grade.
Few Arizona towns list much on the Register (a typical Arizona town has 0.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so New River’s 5.5 sits above most of its state (73% of Arizona towns have fewer) while its 10 historic buildings outnumber those of 76% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikipedia alone; no second source gives 1868.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to B. The pre-1940 share (±0.2 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: Wikipedia (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 New River’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
New River is named after the seasonal wash of the same name, part of the Agua Fria River system which drains into the Salt River. The community was founded by Lord Darrell Duppa in 1868 as a stagecoach stop. For many years it was the terminus of the old Black Canyon Highway (now Interstate 17). The pavement ended in New River and continued as a dirt road to the city of Prescott.
In 1868, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 2000 counted 10,740 people here.
How does New River rank for history?
New River is more historic than 33% of U.S. towns, #39 of 140 in Arizona. 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.
What is on the National Register in New River?
Two places: the Sun-Up Ranch (listed 1988) and the Wranglers Roost (2022).
How old are the homes in New River?
0.1% of New River’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 0.4% for an Arizona town; the median home was built in 2003.
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 (7), the National Register of Historic Places (2), 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.
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