Washington dates to 1779, and 25% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 93% of U.S. towns · #31 of 155 in Connecticut. What drives it
8 places in town are on the National Register, among them four historic districts with 129 buildings between them. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1892 on, and the census since 1820.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1808.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Washington’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Washington is more historic than 93% of U.S. towns, #31 of 155 in Connecticut. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its age lowest.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Washington’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 Washington’s 367 sits above most of its state (87% of Connecticut towns have fewer) while its 135 historic buildings outnumber those of 91% 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 (±7.2 points). Two sources give 1779.
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 Washington’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Archeological evidence suggests that Native Americans first settled along the banks of the Shepaug River about 10,000 years ago, following the conclusion of the last ice age. Before the arrival of European settlers, the lands today comprising Washington were inhabited by the Wyantenock tribe.
In 1734, Joseph Hurlbut settled the eastern section of what is now Washington, marking the beginning of the town's inhabitation by colonists. The area around the Hurlbut homestead came to be known as the Judea Parish, a name preserved in the still active Judea Cemetery. The area was initially part of Woodbury.
Passages that mention Washington, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of ancient Woodbury, Connecticut, from the first Indian deed in 1659 including the present towns of Washington, Southbury, Bethlem, Roxbury, and a part of Oxford and Middlebury1871 · page 462Read the page →
Read the text
term of office would expire on the 3d of March following. He took his seat in that distinguished body, March 4th, 1833, and continued to discharge the duties of that station until December 6th, 1835, when he died suddenly in the city of Washington, in the sixty-sixth year of his age. In 1808, Mr. Smith received the honorary degree of master of arts from Yale College.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of ancient Woodbury, Connecticut, from the first Indian deed in 1659 including the present towns of Washington, Southbury, Bethlem, Roxbury, and a part of Oxford and Middlebury1871 · page 797Read the page →
Read the text
Washington incorporated as a town, Jan. 7, 1779. Roxbury Society settled in 1713 ; incorporated May, 1743. Roxbury incorporated as a town, Oct., 1796.
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
Washington, 1770 to 1982
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 1779, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Washington’s post office opened in 1808, and the census of 1820 counted 1,487 people here.
How does Washington rank for history?
Washington is more historic than 93% of U.S. towns, #31 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 Washington?
8 listings: 3 buildings, 4 historic districts with 129 contributing buildings, and 1 structure. 135 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Washington?
25% of Washington’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.2 points), against a typical 15% for a Connecticut town; the median home was built in 1971.
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 (17), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (8), 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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