Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 68% of U.S. towns · #121 of 155 in Connecticut. What drives it
Most of Durham was built recently: 9% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1976. 2 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 112 buildings. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1893 on, and the census since 1790.
Durham dates its founding to 1699 (Wikidata). It appears in the first U.S. census, 1790.
More historic than 68% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Durham is more historic than 68% of U.S. towns, #121 of 155 in Connecticut. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
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 Durham’s 157 sits above most of its state (67% of Connecticut towns have fewer) while its 113 historic buildings outnumber those of 90% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: Wikidata (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 →
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Durham’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Durham. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Durham.
From Wikipedia’s history of Durham.
Before European settlers arrived, the Coginchaug area was a Native American hunting ground. European settlers purchased tracts of land from the Mattabesset (Wangunk) tribe around 1662. These later became part of Durham, which was incorporated in 1708. The settlement was named after Durham, England. It took land from Guilford and Haddam.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Durham, cut from the printed page as they were published.
This Assembly doth grant unto Mr. Hezekiah Talcott, Joseph Seaward, Caleb Seaward, David Eobinson, John Sutliff, Samuel Fairchilde, and James Wadsworth together with ye rest of ye inhabitantes and Proprietors in the Township of Durham, excepting the town of Killingworth, or any Proprietors of Land in Durham, y t are Inhabetantes of Killingworth, and concerned in ye Agreement heareafter mentioned, their Heires, suckcessors and Assignees, that Tract of land lying and being between ye township of
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
This Assembly doth grant unto Mr. Hezekiah Talcott, Joseph Seaward, Caleb Seaward, David Eobinson, John Sutlifi", Samuel Fairchilde, and James "Wadsworth together with ye rest of ye inhabitantes and Proprietors in the Township of Durham, excepting the town of Killingworth, or any Proprietors of Land in Durham, yt are Inhabetantes of Killingworth, and concerned in ye Agreement heareafter mentioned, their Heires, suckcessors and Assignees, that Tract of land lying and being between ye township of
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
In 1780, Ebenezer Robinson, willed to the Town of Durham, about three acres of land for a Burying Ground, the profits of which were to be applied to the centre school, both before and after it shall be used for a Burying Ground. At the same time said Robinson willed to the inhabitants of the Town of Durham £100 lawful money for a school to be kept at the centre school house eleven months in the year.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
In 1780, Ebenezer Robinson, willed to the Town of Durham, about three acres of land for a Burying Ground, the profits of which were to be applied to the centre school, both before and after it shall be used for a Burying Ground. At the same time said Robinson willed to the inhabitants of the Town of Durham £100 lawful money for a school to be kept at the centre school house eleven months in the year.
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.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Born hereChauncey Goodrich is born here
Born hereMoses Austin is born here
Born hereElizur Goodrich is born here
Born hereDwight Baldwin is born here
In the archiveDurham, Connecticut title QS:P1476,en:"Durham, Connecticut "label QS:Len,"Durham, Connect…
In the archiveDurham, Connecticut title QS:P1476,en:"Durham, Connecticut "label QS:Len,"Durham, Connect…
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
In the archivePostcardDurhamCTStreetAndSchool19103 decades in the archive, from the 1850s to the 1910s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Durham’s page.
Retake this view · +15Between 856 and 7,388 people in every census since 1790.
24 censuses, 1790–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Durham’s Wikipedia page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Durham’s post office has been open since 1800. Another post office, Durham Center, opened and closed inside today’s town.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1699, according to Wikidata. Durham’s post office opened in 1800, and the first U.S. census counted 1,079 people here in 1790.
Durham is more historic than 68% of U.S. towns, #121 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.
Two places: the Thomas Lyman House (listed 1975) and the Main Street Historic District (1986).
9% of Durham’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.6 points), against a typical 15% for a Connecticut town; the median home was built in 1976.
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
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 (6), the National Register of Historic Places (2), 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 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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