Williamsburg dates to 1819, and 5 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 64% of U.S. towns · #64 of 142 in Kentucky. What drives it
Most of Williamsburg was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1981. 5 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 57 buildings. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1895 on, and the census since 1860.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1882.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Williamsburg’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Williamsburg is more historic than 64% of U.S. towns, #64 of 142 in Kentucky. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
B
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Williamsburg’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 Williamsburg’s 118 sits above most of its state (70% of Kentucky towns have fewer) while its 62 historic buildings outnumber those of 86% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1819.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C+ to A−. The pre-1940 share (±2.3 points) is firm at this size.
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 Williamsburg’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Williamsburg was first known by early European-American settlers as the Spring Ford, after a nearby ford crossing the Cumberland River. On April 19, 1818, the first meeting of the Whitley County Court was held at Samuel Cox's dwelling. This first court appointed local officials as well as constables to work with the county militia. The town was known simply as Whitley Courthouse. In 1882, the city was renamed as Williamsburgh, and the spelling was changed in 1890 to the current Williamsburg.
The town's initial growth was fueled by three freshwater springs in the area. Settlers were attracted to this water source. They later developed coal mining and lumber industries, based on natural resources of the area.
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 Williamsburg. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1952Williamsburg sheet · 1:24,000
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Williamsburg.
Every building
Williamsburg, building by building, 1895–1913
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 1819, according to Wikidata. Williamsburg’s post office opened in 1882, and the census of 1860 counted 126 people here.
How does Williamsburg rank for history?
Williamsburg is more historic than 64% of U.S. towns, #64 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 Williamsburg?
5 listings: 4 buildings, among them the J. B. Gatliff House (listed 1977, the first), and 1 historic district, the Williamsburg Historic District, with 57 contributing buildings. 62 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Williamsburg?
2% of Williamsburg’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.3 points), against a typical 5.9% for a Kentucky town; the median home was built in 1981.
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 (12), the National Register of Historic Places (5), 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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