Bainbridge dates to 1765, and 15% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 93% of U.S. towns · #8 of 263 in Georgia. What drives it
6 places in town are on the National Register, among them two historic districts with 253 buildings between them. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1885 on, and the census since 1860.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1829.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Bainbridge’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Bainbridge is more historic than 93% of U.S. towns, #8 of 263 in Georgia. 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 Bainbridge’s overall grade.
Georgia towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Georgia town has 10.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Bainbridge’s 181 sits above most of its state (79% of Georgia towns have fewer) while its 261 historic buildings outnumber those of 95% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1765.
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 (±4.4 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 Bainbridge’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
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.
The first European settlement in what is today Bainbridge was a trading post set up by James Burges in the late 18th century. From him comes the name Burges's Bluff. The town was named after U.S. Navy Commodore William Bainbridge, commander of the USS Constitution ("Old Ironsides"), and was incorporated on December 22, 1829.
In 1824, Bainbridge was designated seat of the newly formed Decatur County.
On October 10, 2018, Bainbridge fell victim to Hurricane Michael. The storm left widespread damage through the city limits, including downed trees, power lines, and structural damage. Many residents affected suffered severe damage to their homes.
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.
Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds
Bainbridge’s post office has been open since 1829. Two other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.
Bainbridge
1829–today
Diffee
1907–1945
West Bainbridge
1945–1959
18201920today
Hamlets and corners on the map
West Bainbridge
Gone or out of use
Bainbridge HospitalhospitalBainbridge Junior High SchoolschoolBainbridge Male and Female AcademyschoolChurch of GodchurchRiverside Hospitalhospital
3cemeteries and burying grounds inside Bainbridge
Jonas LobeOak CityRose Lawn Memorial Gardens
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Questions about Bainbridge’s history
What year was Bainbridge founded?
In 1765, according to Wikidata. Bainbridge’s post office opened in 1829, and the census of 1860 counted 1,869 people here.
How does Bainbridge rank for history?
Bainbridge is more historic than 93% of U.S. towns, #8 of 263 in Georgia. 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 Bainbridge?
6 listings: 4 buildings, among them the Curry Hill Plantation (listed 1973, the first), and 2 historic districts, the Bainbridge Residential Historic District and the Bainbridge Commercial Historic District, with 253 contributing buildings. 261 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Bainbridge?
15% of Bainbridge’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.4 points), against a typical 3.8% for a Georgia town; the median home was built in 1983.
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 (6), 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 Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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