On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Newtown is more historic than 98% of U.S. towns. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Newtown’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 Newtown’s 1,196 sits above most of its state (99% of Connecticut towns have fewer) while its 227 historic buildings outnumber those of 94% 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 is a Census survey estimate (±5.5 points). Two sources give 1705.
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 Newtown’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Lost a third of its people between 1880 and 1930, then grew more than tenfold.
24 censuses, 1790–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Newtown’s Wikipedia page.
On the map
Newtown on the map, 1892 to 1984
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Newtown. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1892Danbury sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Newtown.
Every building
Newtown, building by building, 1884–1929
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.
1884Sheet 1 of 1
Edition
Sheets
BrickWoodStone
Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
In 1705, English colonists purchased the Townsite from the Pohtatuck Indians, a branch of the Pasgussett. It was originally known as Quanneapague. Settled by migrants from Stratford and incorporated in 1711, Newtown residents had many business and trading ties with the English. It was a stronghold of Tory sentiment during the early Revolutionary War. Late in the war, French General Rochambeau and his troops encamped there in 1781 during their celebrated march on their way to the siege of Yorktown, Virginia, which ended the Revolution.
Passages that mention Newtown, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The Risley family history, including records of some of the early English Risleys' a geneaology of the descendants of Richard Risley, of Newtown (Cambridge), Massachusetts (1633), and of Hartford, Connecticut (1636)1909 · page 208Read the page →
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Governor Dudley was in litigation with Governor Winthrop on a breach of an agreement to locate the government of the Colony in Newtown, where Dudley with his usual greed had bought up a large tract of land in order to get the increased value due to the location of the seat of government at Newtown. The case was settled by Winthrop giving Dudley a " dressed pig."
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Fairfield county, Connecticut1881 · page 461Read the page →
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The village of Newtown is j)le;isantly located on ail cle\ated ridge a little north id' the centre of the town, ami is an iminjrtant station for the Housatonic Railroad. Tlic main street, uptjii whicli is located the business of the village, is one of the finest in this section. It contains two churches, Ei)iscopal and Congregational, and an academy.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Fairfield County, Connecticut, 1639-19281929 · page 614Read the page →
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upon a case in which he did not believe in the justice of the cause which he was to defend. He always prepared his cases with great thoroughness and care and presented the evidence with clearness and force. After practicing successfully in Newtown for eleven years he opened an office in Bridgeport in October, 1892 at the same time retaining his office and residence in Newtown Two years later he entered into partnership with Frank M Canfield a well known attorney, under the firm style of Beecher & Canfield
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The Risley family history, including records of some of the early English Risleys' a geneaology of the descendants of Richard Risley, of Newtown (Cambridge), Massachusetts (1633), and of Hartford, Connecticut (1636)1909 · page 207Read the page →
Read the text
They were both installed, the first as pastor and the second as teacher in the Newtown church, on October 11th, 1633, and here in Newtown (Cambridge) the Colony cleared their lands, erected fortifications and stockades, built houses, established schools and carried forward the incipient steps of an organized town, by appointing constables, magistrates, fence viewers, and tax gatherers, and established pounds, organized militia, drilled and disciplined the organized military companies, estab-
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
Newtown, 1705 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 1705, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the first U.S. census counted 2,764 people here in 1790.
How does Newtown rank for history?
Newtown is more historic than 98% of U.S. towns. 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.
How old are the homes in Newtown?
22% of Newtown’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.5 points), against a typical 15% for a Connecticut town; the median home was built in 1963.
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 (12), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), 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.
c. 1906
1906
1906
1907–1915
1911
1917
1917
1917
2006