Redding dates to 1767, and 18% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 93% of U.S. towns · #27 of 155 in Connecticut. What drives it
6 places in town are on the National Register, among them two historic districts with 161 buildings between them. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1892 on, and the census since 1790.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1810.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Redding’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Redding is more historic than 93% of U.S. towns, #27 of 155 in Connecticut. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Redding’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 Redding’s 188 sits above most of its state (72% of Connecticut towns have fewer) while its 165 historic buildings outnumber those of 92% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1767.
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 (±4.6 points).
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 Redding’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
In 1639, English colonist Roger Ludlow (also referenced as Roger Ludlowe in many accounts) purchased land from local Native Americans to establish Fairfield, and in 1668 Fairfield purchased another tract of land then called Northfield, which comprised land that is now part of Redding. At the time, Native American trails crossed through portions of the area, including the Berkshire Path running north–south.
For settlement purposes, Fairfield authorities divided the newly available land into parcels dubbed "long lots" at the time, which north–south measured no more than a third of a mile wide but extended east–west as long as 15 miles. Immediately north of the long lots was a similar-sized parcel of land known as The Oblong.
Passages that mention Redding, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The history of Redding, Connecticut1906 · page 21Read the page →
Read the text
Therefore, "Be it enacted by the Governor and Council and Representatives in General Court assembled and by the authority of the same. That said Parish of Redding be and they are hereby erected, made and constituted within the limits and bounds of said parish a distinct Town by themselves with all the liberties, privileges and immunities which by law the other towns in this Colony have and do enjoy, and that said new constituted town shall hereafter be called by the name of the Town of Redding, with
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The History of Redding Connecticut1906 · page 21Read the page →
Read the text
Therefore, “Be it enacted by the Governor and Council and Representatives in General Court assembled and by the authority of the same, That said Parish of Redding be and they are hereby erected, made and constituted within the limits and bounds of said parish a distinct Town by themselves with all the liberties, privileges and immunities which by law the other towns in this Colony have and do enjoy, and that said new constituted town shall hereafter be called by the name of the Town of Redding, with
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The Reverend John Beach and his descendants1898 · page 306Read the page →
Read the text
IV. gen. — Ephraim Sanford, b. Feb. 12th, 1708-9, in Fairfield, Conn., son of Ezekiel Sanford Jr., mar'd Oct. 7th, 1730, Elizabeth Mix; he settled in the village of Redding, being the northern portion of Fairfield and was incorporated as town of Redding, 1767; the place where he settled was and is still called Sanfordtown. Was a large land-owner there, as is shown by deeds now in possession of his descendants, some of which date as early as 1733. He was engaged at an early
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The History of Redding Connecticut1906 · page 82Read the page →
Read the text
In December of the same year the real estate of the unfortunate exile, which had been ordered leased in August, was ordered sold, as appears by the following: “Whereas, the selectmen of the Town of Redding in Fairfield County, did inform John Read, Esqr., Justice of the Peace for said County, that there is estate in Redding and Fairfield, in said county, that Belongs to Joseph Burr, late of said Redding, who has gone over to, Joined with and Screened himself under the protection of the Ministerial Army, &c.;
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
Redding, 1730 to 1984
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 1767, according to Wikidata. Redding’s post office opened in 1810, and the first U.S. census counted 1,503 people here in 1790.
How does Redding rank for history?
Redding is more historic than 93% of U.S. towns, #27 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 Redding?
6 listings: 3 buildings, 2 historic districts, the Georgetown Historic District and the Redding Center Historic District, with 161 contributing buildings, and 1 site. 165 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Redding?
18% of Redding’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.6 points), against a typical 15% for a Connecticut town; the median home was built in 1972.
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 (16), Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (6), 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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