Ashburnham dates to 1736, and 15% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 93% of U.S. towns · #109 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
3 places in town are on the National Register, among them two historic districts with 201 buildings between them. Below: 6 old photos and papers, maps from 1887 on, and the census since 1790.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1811.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Ashburnham’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Ashburnham is more historic than 93% of U.S. towns, #109 of 283 in Massachusetts. 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 Ashburnham’s overall grade.
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 Ashburnham’s 316 sits above most of its state (85% of Massachusetts towns have fewer) while its 203 historic buildings outnumber those of 93% of U.S. towns.
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 (±5.4 points). Two sources give 1736.
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 Ashburnham’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Ashburnham was first settled by Europeans in 1736, and was officially incorporated in 1765. The name is of British origin, possibly drawn from the Earl of Ashburnham, in Pembrey, or the Sussex community of Ashburnham.
Ashburnham was originally made up of the lands granted to officers and soldiers of a 1690 expedition to Canada. It was called the Plantation of Dorchester-Canada until it was incorporated.
Passages that mention Ashburnham, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Ashburnham, Massachusetts, from the grant of Dorchester Canada to the present time, 1734-18861887 · page 114Read the page →
Read the text
Worcester ss. To Dea Samuel Fellows, one of the principal inhabitants of the new town of Ashburnham Greeting :— In his Majesty's name you are required to warn all the Inhabitants of said Ashburnham to assemble at the Meeting House in said town on Monday the twenty-fifth day of this instant March at ten o'clock in the forenoon to choose a Moderator to govern said meeting and to choose all town officers as before recited and to agree how to call meetings for the future.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Ashburnham, Massachusetts, from the grant of Dorchester Canada to the present time, 1734-18861887 · page 130Read the page →
Read the text
the Town of Ashburnham November 1765, whom the Selectmen of Ashburnham Refuse to admit as Inhabitants of the said Town. THESE are therefore in his majesties name to Require you» the said Constable to warn the persons a Bove mentioned forthwith to Depart out of the town of Ashburnham.
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.
Timeline
Ashburnham, 1736 to 1936
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born 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.
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 1736, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Ashburnham’s post office opened in 1811, and the first U.S. census counted 951 people here in 1790.
How does Ashburnham rank for history?
Ashburnham is more historic than 93% of U.S. towns, #109 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.
What is on the National Register in Ashburnham?
Three places: the Ashburnham Center Historic District (listed 1999), the Cambridge Grant Historic District (2001) and the Enoch Whitmore House (2008).
How old are the homes in Ashburnham?
15% of Ashburnham’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.4 points), against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts 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 (10), the Library of Congress (1), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (3), 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.
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