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History · Williamsburg

Williamsburg’s post office opened in 1869, and 43% of its homes were built before 1940

1869first post office
0on the National Register
43%homes built before 1940
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Williamsburg began, and where its name came from

When was Williamsburg founded?

1869

The Williamsburg post office opened in 1869, the earliest record of the town by name.

2020 census: 390157 years

How did Williamsburg get its name?

Williamsburg was named for its founder, William Schofield.

Founding year: the first Williamsburg post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓

What stands out about Williamsburg’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Williamsburg are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Williamsburg’s homes were built before 1961.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Williamsburg’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Williamsburg’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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The story

How Williamsburg came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Williamsburg.

Read it all →

Williamsburg was founded in 1868. It was named for its founder, William Schofield.

The first post office in Williamsburg was established in April, 1869, and it was officially spelled Williamsburgh until 1894.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Williamsburg, 1869 to 1916

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1869Post officeThe Williamsburg post office opens
  3. 1898Born hereJohn S. Davis is born here
  4. 20th century
  5. 1902Born hereLou McEvoy is born here
  6. 1916Born hereWillie Ramsdell is born here
By decade

No old photos in the archives yet

Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.

Be the first to add onePhotograph a print flat, in daylight, no flash.
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Famous people

3 famous people were born in Williamsburg

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
L
Lou McEvoyAmerican baseball player · b. 1902
W
Willie RamsdellAmerican baseball player · b. 1916
J
John S. DavisAmerican football coach · b. 1898

Questions about Williamsburg’s history

What year was Williamsburg founded?

The Williamsburg post office opened in 1869, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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Sources

Where this page comes from

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). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) 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.