Somerset dates to 1798, and 15% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 82% of U.S. towns · #28 of 142 in Kentucky. What drives it
23 places in town are on the National Register, among them five historic districts with 61 buildings between them. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1886 on, and the census since 1830.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1803.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Somerset’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Somerset is more historic than 82% of U.S. towns, #28 of 142 in Kentucky. 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 Somerset’s overall grade.
Kentucky towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Kentucky town has 29.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Somerset’s 67.9 sits near the middle of its state (62% of Kentucky towns have fewer) while its 83 historic buildings outnumber those of 88% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.5 points). Two sources give 1798.
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 Somerset’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Somerset was first settled in 1798 by Thomas Hansford and received its name from Somerset County, New Jersey, where some of the early settlers had formerly lived. Somerset became the Pulaski County seat in 1801, and was incorporated as a city in 1887. The Civil War Battle of Mill Springs was fought in January 1862 at Logan's Crossroads (now "Nancy") about 8 miles (13 km) west of Somerset, and a museum is at the site. A smaller battle was fought nearby at Dutton's Hill in 1863. In 1875 tracks for the Southern Railway were completed and Somerset saw a population growth and an increase in industry. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, library services were provided by the pack horse library. The completion of Lake Cumberland in 1950 transformed Somerset from a sleepy rural community into a recreation center.
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.
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.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Somerset. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1935Somerset sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Somerset.
Every building
Somerset, building by building, 1886–1914
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.
In 1798, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Somerset’s post office opened in 1803, and the census of 1830 counted 231 people here.
How does Somerset rank for history?
Somerset is more historic than 82% of U.S. towns, #28 of 142 in Kentucky. 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 Somerset?
23 listings: 17 buildings, among them the Somerset City School and Carnegie Library (listed 1978, the first), 5 historic districts with 61 contributing buildings, and 1 object. 83 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Somerset?
15% of Somerset’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.5 points), against a typical 5.9% for a Kentucky town; the median home was built in 1977.
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 (1), the National Register of Historic Places (23), 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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