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AHistory
History · Bolton

Bolton dates to 1682, and 12% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 91% of U.S. towns · #133 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it

5 places in town are on the National Register, among them three historic districts with 148 buildings between them. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1887 on, and the census since 1790.

1682founded
5on the National Register
12%homes built before 1940
3old photos & papers
9famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Bolton’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Bolton began

When was Bolton founded?

1682

Bolton dates its founding to 1682 (Wikidata). It appears in the first U.S. census, 1790.

First census: 861 in 17902020 census: 5,665344 years

How historic is Bolton?

A

More historic than 91% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1807.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Bolton’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Bolton is more historic than 91% of U.S. towns, #133 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 Bolton’s overall grade.
Founding era1682, from Wikidata: founded before 1776, an older era than 96% of U.S. townsA+Homes built before 194012.1% of homes (±5.8) · typical MA town 21.1% · U.S. 8.4%B−National Register5 listings, 151 historic buildings, 263 per 10,000 residents · typical MA town 46.0 · U.S. 2.4A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 91%
NewerOlder
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)Ahead of 53%

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 Bolton’s 263 sits above most of its state (81% of Massachusetts towns have fewer) while its 151 historic buildings outnumber those of 92% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1682.
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 (±5.8 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 Bolton’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 3 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18878 editions of the USGS map, 1887 to 1997. Watch Bolton change.Shrank, then grewLost half of its people between 1860 and 1920, then grew 8-fold.A historic districtThe Bolton Center Historic District takes in 75 historic buildings.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Bolton’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Bolton’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
2 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewLand Utilization Town of Bolton - DPLA …: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Bolton on the map, 1887 to 1997

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Bolton. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Bolton on the 1887 USGS mapBolton on the 1896 USGS mapBolton on the 1943 USGS mapBolton on the 1950 USGS mapBolton on the 1966 USGS mapBolton on the 1977 USGS mapBolton on the 1988 USGS mapBolton on the 1997 USGS map1887Marlboro 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 Bolton.

People over time

Bolton, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0004,5005,0005,5006,000180018501900195020001,348 in 1860Low: 708

Lost half of its people between 1860 and 1920, then grew 8-fold.

19 censuses, 1790–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Bolton’s Wikipedia page.

The story

How Bolton came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Bolton.

Read it all →

Prior to its incorporation, the area was settled by English farmers in the 1600s near where the Nashaway tribe fished and farmed along the Nashua River. In 1643 Thomas King of Watertown had purchased the land from the sachem Sholan of the Nashaway as the southeastern corner of the Nashaway (Lancaster) purchase.

The land in what is now Bolton was formerly part of the town of Lancaster until Bolton seceded along the Still River, where the current boundary line still stands. The town of Bolton was incorporated on June 24, 1738, following an influx of settlers and was named after the Duke of Bolton.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Bolton, 1682 to 2020

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 17th century
  2. 1682
    FoundingBolton is established
  3. 18th century
  4. 1794Born hereAmos Nourse is born here
  5. 19th century
  6. 1807Post officeThe Bolton post office opens
  7. 1822Born hereFrederick A. Sawyer is born here
  8. 1830In the archivePlan of Bolton made by Silas Holman, dated 1830 - DPLA - 57456a3e35b4f6469be729b2ec2c8043
  9. 1863Born hereWilbert Robinson is born here
  10. 1887On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  11. 20th century
  12. 1937In the archiveLand Utilization Town of Bolton - DPLA - e6a1f688f2824bbd83434e0a3f2f4b80
  13. 1941In the archiveHistoric American Buildings Survey Frank O. Branzetti, Photographer Apr. 3, 1941 (yyy) 31…
  14. 1958Born hereKaren O'Connor is born here
  15. 21st century
  16. 2020CensusPopulation peaks at 5,665
By decade

Bolton, decade by decade

3 decades in the archive, from the 1830s to the 1940s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1830s1 item
Plan of Bolton made by Silas Holman, dated 1830 - DPLA - 57456a3e35b4f6469be729b2ec2c80431830Plan of Bolton made by Silas Holman, dated 1830 - DPL…Map
1930s–1940s2 items
Land Utilization Town of Bolton - DPLA - e6a1f688f2824bbd83434e0a3f2f4b801937Land Utilization Town of Bolton - DPLA - e6a1f688f282…Historic American Buildings Survey Frank O. Branzetti, Photographer Apr. 3, 1941 (yyy) 31- MILE STONE, BOLTON - Thirty-…1941Historic American Buildings Survey Frank O. Branzetti…
1950s–1990snothing yet
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.
Add from your album
Today9 recent
Gazebo (4)2014Gazebo (4)Sawyer House in 20122012Sawyer House in 2012Bolton Boston Milestone2012Bolton Boston MilestoneMulticolored.jpg2010Multicolored.jpgSawyer House2009Sawyer HouseFirst Parish of2009First Parish ofMA Route 117 eastbound entering2008MA Route 117 eastbound enteringCypripedium acaule var. alba2003Cypripedium acaule var. albaCypripedium acaule var. alba (cropped)2003Cypripedium acaule var. alba (cropped)
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Land Utilization Town of Bolton - DPLA - e6a1f688f2824bbd83434e0a3f2f4b80
Retake this viewLand Utilization Town of Bolton - DPLA - e6a1f688f2824bbd83434e0a3f2f4b80, 1937

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Bolton’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

5 listings protect 151 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
5
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
151
each building in a district counts
first listed
1997
Bolton Center Historic District
Bolton Center Historic DistrictWhitcomb Inn and FarmPan Burying GroundPan Historic DistrictEast End Historic District
BuildingsDistrictsSites

Architectural styles listings

Georgian2
Federal1
Greek Revival1
Italianate1
Queen Anne1
Colonial Revival1
Bolton Center Historic DistrictGeorgian
Whitcomb Inn and FarmPostmedieval English
Pan Burying GroundSite
Pan Historic DistrictDistrict
All 5 listings
East End Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2025

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Famous people

9 famous people were born in Bolton

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Wilbert RobinsonAmerican baseball player and manager · b. 1863
Frederick A. SawyerAmerican politician · b. 1822
Karen O'ConnorAmerican equestrian · b. 1958
Amos NourseAmerican politician · b. 1794
N
Nathan WilsonAmerican politician · b. 1758
H
Heather K. GerkenAmerican legal scholar · b. 1969
Places that used to be

Old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Bolton’s post office has been open since 1807.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Brockway CornerCamp ResoluteCamp VirginiaEast BoltonFryvilleSeventh Day Adventist Village
Gone or out of use
Ballvillelocale
8cemeteries and burying grounds inside Bolton
Bolton PanEastwoodEastwoodFriendsPanSouthSouthWest

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Hudson3 historic placesA−Lancaster17 historic placesA+Berlin3 historic placesA−Harvard7 historic placesAClinton10 historic placesA+

Questions about Bolton’s history

What year was Bolton founded?

In 1682, according to Wikidata. Bolton’s post office opened in 1807, and the first U.S. census counted 861 people here in 1790.

How does Bolton rank for history?

Bolton is more historic than 91% of U.S. towns, #133 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 Bolton?

5 listings: 1 building, 3 historic districts, the Bolton Center Historic District, the Pan Historic District and the East End Historic District, with 148 contributing buildings, and 1 site. 151 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Bolton?

12% of Bolton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.8 points), against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town; the median home was built in 1988.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

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) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.