Bridgeport’s post office opened in 1801, and 32% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 93% of U.S. towns · #29 of 155 in Connecticut. What drives it
56 places in town are on the National Register, among them ten historic districts with 1,704 buildings between them. Below: 7 old photos and papers, maps from 1884 on, and the census since 1810.
The Bridgeport post office opened in 1801, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1821. Another post office, Black Rock (1863), opened inside today’s city and later closed.
First census: 1,089 in 18102020 census: 148,654225 years
How historic is Bridgeport?
A
More historic than 93% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: the first Bridgeport post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Wikidata: 1821.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Bridgeport’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Bridgeport is more historic than 93% of U.S. towns, #29 of 155 in Connecticut. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its share of homes from before 1940 ranks highest and its age lowest.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Bridgeport’s overall grade.
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Bridgeport ranks #59 on History.
Connecticut towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Connecticut town has 73.3 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Bridgeport’s 116 sits near the middle of its state (60% of Connecticut towns have fewer) while its 1,736 historic buildings outnumber those of 99% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A. The pre-1940 share (±1.8 points) is firm at this size. The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date; Wikidata’s 1821 falls in the same era, so the grade doesn’t depend on which one is used.
Founding year: the first post office (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 Bridgeport’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Bridgeport was inhabited by the Paugussett Native American tribe during the start of European colonization. The earliest European communal settlement was in the historical Stratfield district, along US Route 1, known in colonial times as the King's Highway. Close by, Mount Grove Cemetery was laid out on what was a native village that extended past the 1650s. It is also an ancient Paugussett burial ground.
Passages that mention Bridgeport, cut from the printed page as they were published.
A history of the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut1887Read the page →
Read the text
Bridgeport, as a city, was incorporated by act of the General Assembly in May, 1836, under the name of ''T/ie Mayor, Aldermen, Collision Council, and Freemen of the Citv of Bridgeport.'' By several changes made, the incorporate title now is " The City of Bridgeport," and the title of its authoritative body is "The Common Council of the
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
A history of the old town of Stratford and the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut1886 · page 634Read the page →
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his new church edifice was completed, built by subscription on the site at present occupied by the same society. At first it was occupied two Sundays out of three, but after a short time every Sunday. The borough of Bridgeport was incorporated in 1800, with two hundred and fifty inhabitants, and by a rapid growth it gradually absorbed the dwellers of the more ancient settlement. In 1821 the town of Bridgeport was erected and the parish of Stratfield, practically, ceased to
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
A history of the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut1887Read the page →
Read the text
avenue through nearlv on the line of Barnuin avenue, to Washington bridge, on the Housatonic river. This effort was bitterly and successfully opposed at every trial by tlie town of Bridgeport, the town of Stratford and the old or lower bridge company, that bridge being a toll bridge. This opposition isolated that district from commercial connections and no improvement was made upon it until in 1836 William P. Green, of Norwich, through the agency of his brother abolitionist, Mr.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
A history of the old town of Stratford and the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut1886 · page 515Read the page →
Read the text
By the will of Mrs. Sterling the homestead was given to the First Congregational Society of Bridgeport for a parsonage, and after providing for friends, the residue was given to the society known as the Bridgeport Protestant Widows' Relief Society for the establishment of a Home and for general aid, and the society has become one of the leading charities of Bridgeport.* Laura Beach married Ira Sherman, a descendant of Lieut.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Bridgeport, 1801 to 1982
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
The Bridgeport post office opened in 1801, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1821.
How does Bridgeport rank for history?
Bridgeport is more historic than 93% of U.S. towns, #29 of 155 in Connecticut. 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 Bridgeport?
56 listings: 25 buildings, among them the Barnum Museum (listed 1972, the first), 24 historic districts with 1,704 contributing buildings, 1 site, 5 structures, and 1 object. 1,736 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Bridgeport?
32% of Bridgeport’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.8 points), against a typical 15% for a Connecticut town; the median home was built in 1955.
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 the Library of Congress (7), Wikidata (4), the National Register of Historic Places (56), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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