East Haven dates to 1707, and 17% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 80% of U.S. towns · #95 of 155 in Connecticut. What drives it
3 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 21 buildings. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1892 on, and the census since 1820.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1824.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives East Haven’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, East Haven is more historic than 80% of U.S. towns, #95 of 155 in Connecticut. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of East Haven’s overall grade.
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 East Haven’s 8.3 sits below most of its state (8% of Connecticut towns have fewer) while its 23 historic buildings outnumber those of 80% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1707.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B to A. The pre-1940 share (±2.7 points) is firm at this size.
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 →
What stands out about East Haven’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The Connecticut Colony granted the town petition for Township in May 1707 and colonists changed the name from Iron Works Village to East Haven. Some outstanding land issues with New Haven and a minor feud with Governor Gurdon Saltonstall resulted in the rescinding of the township status; the area was made a parish of New Haven.
Once home to a large Italian population, New Haven and neighboring towns such as East Haven have been destinations for a new wave of immigrants since the late 20th century, the majority of whom in East Haven are Latinos from Ecuador. In the 2010 census, Hispanics and Latinos made up more than 10% of the town's population.
Passages that mention East Haven, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Descendants of Isaac Bradley of Branford and East Haven, Connecticut, 1650-18981917 · page 98Read the page →
Read the text
no. Jared Bradley, b. May 30th, 1749; d. June 19th, 1833, se 84. Rev. Mr. Haven, in his MS History of East Haven, Conn., states that "Jared Bradley was known in East Haven traditions as the Lef tenant." For many years he owned the "Saltonstall Farm," and resided in the Saltonstall mansion on the farm, near the East Haven line, in the town of Branford. Mr. Haven speaks of him as "a public
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Descendants of Isaac Bradley of Branford and East Haven, Connecticut, 1650-18981917 · page 86Read the page →
Read the text
The Genealogy of the Hitchcock Family (published in Amherst, Mass., in 1894), pp. 55, 56, gives information as to the Hitchcock family. The 1st vol. of East Haven Town Records, p. 230, etc., gives information as to this family. Josiah Bradley was elected Town Clerk for East Haven September 3rd, 1787, and continued in office to December 5th, 1791 ; reelected December 2nd, 1793, and continued to December 1st, 1806. He also filled the office of Town Treasurer for East
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
East Haven, 1707 to 2010
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1707, according to Wikidata. East Haven’s post office opened in 1824, and the census of 1820 counted 1,237 people here.
How does East Haven rank for history?
East Haven is more historic than 80% of U.S. towns, #95 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 East Haven?
Three places: the First Congregational Church of East Haven (listed 1982), the East Haven Green Historic District (2002) and the East Haven High School (2020).
How old are the homes in East Haven?
17% of East Haven’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.7 points), against a typical 15% for a Connecticut town; the median home was built in 1967.
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 (26), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (3), 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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