Barre dates to 1720, and 35% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 95% of U.S. towns · #75 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
2 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 25 buildings. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1887 on, and the census since 1790.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1799.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Barre’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Barre is more historic than 95% of U.S. towns, #75 of 283 in Massachusetts. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Barre’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 Barre’s 53.8 sits near the middle of its state (51% of Massachusetts towns have fewer) while its 30 historic buildings outnumber those of 82% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1720.
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 (±7.4 points).
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 Barre’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Originally called the Northwest District of Rutland, it was first settled by Europeans in 1720. The town was incorporated as a district on June 17, 1774, as Hutchinson after Thomas Hutchinson, colonial governor of Massachusetts. Eventually, along with 41 other districts in the state, they were all incorporated on August 23, 1775, by the Massachusetts Court. The next year on November 7, 1776, it was renamed Barre in honor of Colonel Isaac Barré, an Irish-born MP who was a champion of American Independence. "This township was originally known as Rutland, West District; but prior to 1770 its name was changed to "Hutchinson", in honor of the Hon. Thomas Hutchinson who was Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts in 1765, became acting Governor in 1769, and Governor in 1770. When, in 1774, on account of his Tory proclivities, Governor Hutchinson resigned his office and went to England, his name …
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 1720, according to Wikidata. Barre’s post office opened in 1799, and the first U.S. census counted 1,613 people here in 1790.
How does Barre rank for history?
Barre is more historic than 95% of U.S. towns, #75 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 Barre?
Two places: the Barre Common District (listed 1976) and the No. 4 Schoolhouse (1988).
How old are the homes in Barre?
35% of Barre’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.4 points), against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town; the median home was built in 1971.
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 (5), 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 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.
1928
