Leicester dates to 1713, and 26% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 92% of U.S. towns · #125 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
3 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 34 buildings. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1888 on, and the census since 1790.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1801.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Leicester’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Leicester is more historic than 92% of U.S. towns, #125 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 Leicester’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 Leicester’s 32.4 sits near the middle of its state (41% of Massachusetts towns have fewer) while its 36 historic buildings outnumber those of 83% 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 (±5.0 points). Two sources give 1713.
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 Leicester’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
What is now Leicester was originally settled by the Nipmuc people and was known by them as Towtaid. On January 27, 1686, the territory of eight square miles was purchased for 15 pounds by a company of nine proprietors engaged in land speculation: Joshua Lamb of Roxbury, Nathaniel Page of Bedford, Andrew Gardner of Roxbury, Benjamin Gamblin of Roxbury, Benjamin Tucker of Roxbury, John Curtice of Roxbury, Richard Draper of Boston, Samuel Ruggles of Roxbury, and Ralph Bradhurst of Roxbury. The proprietors called this land Strawberry Hill but did not make an effort to settle it for nearly 30 years due to its isolated location and the disruption of King Philip's War (1675–1678), King William's War (1688–1697), and Queen Anne's War (1702–1713).
Passages that mention Leicester, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Spencer, Massachusetts, from its earliest settlement to the year 18601860 · page 36Read the page →
Read the text
" Petition to the Honorable Spencer Phipps, Lieutenant Governor, by the subscribers, a committee of the town of Leicester, stating that the inhabitants of the westerly part of said town have built a meeting-house and settled a minister, and stating further, that about eight years ago, moved to the town of Leicester to be set off and made a distinct town, which was readily granted. Whereupon application was made to the court about three years afterwards for the
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Spencer, Massachusetts, from its earliest settlement to the year 18601860 · page 25Read the page →
Read the text
The selectmen, or rather others more interested, of the town of Leicester, instead of courteously responding to this notification, appealed to higher authority. At a session of the Legislature, June 2, 1727, the proprietors and inhabitants of Leicester presented a petition praying that the proceedings of the selectmen of Brookfield might be stayed for the present, as " they apprehended that the proceedings of the selectmen of Brookfield design, under pretence of a
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
A brief history of Leicester, Massachusetts1890Read the page →
Read the text
lIi.srORiics. — Leicester is unusually rich in annalists and historians. First among these is Governor Emory Washburn, to whose "Topographical and Historical Sketches of the Town of Leicester," published .lune, 1826, in the Wtivcc&ta- Magazine and Historical Journal, his " Brief Sketch of the History of Leicester Academy," published in 1855, bis several addresses on anniversary occasions, and his " History of Leices-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
A brief history of Leicester, Massachusetts1890Read the page →
Read the text
Ill 1741, .Inly ISih, ihiy were incorporated as a parish, anil calhil "The Westerly Parish of Leicester." b'ive yeais later both precincts petitioned the (ieneral Court "to erect the west pait of Leicester into a distinct and separate town." A bill of incorporation was ])assed, Imt it was vetoed by Lieutenant- (rovernor Pliipps, on the ground that it would increase th(! number of repiesentali ves to the ( ieneral
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
Leicester, 1713 to 1913
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 1713, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Leicester’s post office opened in 1801, and the first U.S. census counted 1,076 people here in 1790.
How does Leicester rank for history?
Leicester is more historic than 92% of U.S. towns, #125 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 Leicester?
Three places: the Quinsigamond Branch Library (listed 1980), the Lumb, Thomas, Three-Decker (1990) and the Washburn Square-Leicester Common Historic District (2006).
How old are the homes in Leicester?
26% of Leicester’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.0 points), against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town; the median home was built in 1965.
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 (17), the Library of Congress (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.
![Ill 1741, .Inly ISih, ihiy were incorporated as a parish, anil calhil "The Westerly Parish of Leicester." b'ive yeais later both precincts petitioned the (ieneral Court "to erect the west pait of Leicester into a distinct and separate town." A bill of incorporation was ])assed, Imt it was vetoed by…](https://images.townratings.com/story/23770/bk-9feaceeb755c0880-l.jpg)
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