Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 82% of U.S. towns · #214 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
2 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 3 buildings. Below: 4 old photos and papers, maps from 1885 on, and the census since 1790.
Abington dates its founding to 1668 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). It appears in the first U.S. census, 1790.
More historic than 82% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Abington is more historic than 82% of U.S. towns, #214 of 283 in Massachusetts. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
Massachusetts towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Massachusetts town has 46.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Abington’s 2.3 sits below most of its state (14% of Massachusetts towns have fewer) while its 4 historic buildings outnumber those of 68% of U.S. towns.
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 →
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Abington’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Abington. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Abington.
Lost half of its people between 1870 and 1880, then grew 4-fold.
19 censuses, 1790–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Abington’s Wikipedia page.
From Wikipedia’s history of Abington.
Before the Europeans made their claim to the area, the local Native Americans referred to the area as Manamooskeagin, meaning "great green place of shaking grass". Two streams in the area were named for the large beaver population: Schumacastacut or "upper beaver brook" and Schumacastuscacant or "lower beaver brook".
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Abington, cut from the printed page as they were published.
When the Abington petitioners first applied for an act of incorporation, July 4, 170G, they denominated themselves " certain inhabitants of the east part of the town of Bridgewater, and proprietors of a certain tract of land between the towns of Weymouth, Hingham, Scituate, and Bridgewater ;" and when the act was finally passed in 1712, the boundaries were thus described. " On the north with the line of the colonies of the Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth, — on the east upon the town
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
In the parliament of 1381-82 (5 Richard II.) he represented the county, and was High Sheriff in the following year, an office which then carried with it the custody of Northampton Castle. He bought the manors of Abington and Little Brington in 1389-90 (13 Richard II.), and in 1393, perhaps earlier, was keeper of the King's Park at Moulton, as appears by an indenture. Abington became his place of residence, doubtless on account of its nearness to
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
1730- These several grants and additions constituted all the territory ever belonging to Bridgewater in its greatest extent. The greatest part of Abington, and what is now Hanson, at that period belonged to Bridgewater, which must then have contained about ninety-six square miles. In this situation, and with these extensive territorial dimensions the town remained, without change or diminution, till June 10, 1712, when Abing-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
HEARSEY. — I. William Hearsey (s. of William and Abigail (Tirrell) of Abington, born 17 19) settled in East Bridgewater, m. Lydia Gurney of Abington 1745 and had Stephen 1751, William 1753, Lydia 1757, and Deborah 1762. — The father d. 1816, as. 97. — Lydia m. John Harden 1779.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Born hereCharles Franklin Dunbar is born here
Born hereEugene F. Loud is born here
In the archive150TH ANNIVERSARY OF INCORPORATION OF TOWN OF ABINGTON (held by) TOWN OF ABINGTON (at)
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
BuiltNorth Abington Depot is built
In the archiveMemorial Bridge
In the archiveLand Utilization Town of Abington - DPLA - bb516a791c8cbd4abca4fd9880513f6f
Born hereLarry Murphy is born here
Born hereJared C. Monti is born here3 decades in the archive, from the 1860s to the 1930s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
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.
1885Sheet 1 of 5Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Abington’s page.
Retake this view · +15The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Abington had its own post office from 1806 to 1907. Another post office, West Abington, opened and closed inside today’s town.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1668, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Abington’s post office opened in 1806, and the first U.S. census counted 1,454 people here in 1790.
Abington is more historic than 82% of U.S. towns, #214 of 283 in Massachusetts. 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.
Two places: the North Abington Depot (listed 1976) and the Island Grove Park National Register District (2002).
21% of Abington’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.0 points), against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town; the median home was built in 1970.
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
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 (3), the Library of Congress (1), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (2), 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, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
1861