More historic than 29% of U.S. towns · #164 of 638 in Florida. What drives it
Most of Sawgrass was built recently: 0.0% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1986. Below: maps from 1918 on and the census since 1990.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Sawgrass is more historic than 29% of U.S. towns, #164 of 638 in Florida. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
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HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Sawgrass’ overall grade.
Few Florida towns list much on the Register (a typical Florida town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Sawgrass’ 4.1 sits above most of its state (80% of Florida towns have fewer) while its 2 historic buildings outnumber those of 60% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share (±0.5 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: our sources. 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 Sawgrass’ past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Initial development was done by James Stockton Jr., son of a principal of Stockton, Whatley, Davin & Co. one of the biggest names in mortgage banking, real estate and insurance in the southeast U.S. While on safari in Africa in 1970, he envisioned another golf course resort development like Ponte Vedra in the wild landscape along the coast. After he returned to Florida, he purchased 1,600 feet of ocean frontage near property SWD had available since the 1960s. He engaged a golf course architect and an engineering firm to draw plans for a new development that eventually encompassed 1,200 acres.
Sawgrass is more historic than 29% of U.S. towns, #164 of 638 in Florida. 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 Sawgrass?
One place: the Arthur Milam House (listed 2016).
How old are the homes in Sawgrass?
0.0% of Sawgrass’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 0.6% for a Florida town; the median home was built in 1986.
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 the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
