Egremont dates to 1722, and 27% of its homes were built before 1940
Among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns. What drives it
3 places in town are on the National Register, among them three historic districts with 114 buildings between them. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1885 on, and the census since 1790.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1818.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Egremont’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Egremont is among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns. 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 Egremont’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 Egremont’s 927 sits above most of its state (97% of Massachusetts towns have fewer) while its 114 historic buildings outnumber those of 90% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would still be A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±8.5 points). Two sources give 1722.
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 Egremont’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Egremont was first settled in 1722 by Dutch settlers from New York. English settlers arrived a few years later, and the town was officially incorporated by Massachusetts in 1761. It is unclear whether the town is named for the English town or for Charles Wyndham, 2nd Earl of Egremont, Secretary of State for the Southern Department (responsible for the administration of the American colonies) at the time of incorporation. For much of its history, Egremont has been an agricultural town, with only a small milling area around South Egremont.
Passages that mention Egremont, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The history of Pittsfield, (Berkshire County,) Massachusetts ... comp. and written, under the general direction of a committee1869 · page 535Read the page →
Read the text
Resolved * * That such railroad, as particularly connected with the middle and southern sections of the county of Berkshire, ought to pass through the towns of Lee, Stockbridge, West Stockbridge, Great Barrington, and Egremont, towards the city of Hudson. Such location being best calculated to accommodate the transportation of the great mass of agricultural products of those sections, and particularly the heavy article of marble from the extensive quarries in West Stockbridge, Great Barriagton, and Sheffield ; such location being also best
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
Egremont, 1722 to 2020
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.
In 1722, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Egremont’s post office opened in 1818, and the first U.S. census counted 759 people here in 1790.
How does Egremont rank for history?
Egremont is among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns. 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 Egremont?
Three places: the South Egremont Village Historic District (listed 1984), the North Egremont Historic District (1989) and the Westover-Bacon-Potts Farm (1990).
How old are the homes in Egremont?
27% of Egremont’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±8.5 points), against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town; the median home was built in 1969.
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, 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 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.
1937
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