New Salem dates to 1737, and 39% of its homes were built before 1940
Among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns. What drives it
2 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 27 buildings. Below: 10 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: 1802.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives New Salem’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, New Salem 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 National Register listings lowest.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of New Salem’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 New Salem’s 275 sits above most of its state (83% of Massachusetts towns have fewer) while its 29 historic buildings outnumber those of 81% 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 (±10.4 points). Two sources give 1737.
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 New Salem’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
New Salem was first settled in 1737 and was officially incorporated in 1753, named for the settlers from Salem that founded the town. The geography of New Salem benefited greatly from the construction of the Quabbin Reservoir. Prior to its building, New Salem, which has always been the southeastern corner of Franklin County, did not extend much further south than the village of Cooleyville, now along U.S. Route 202. However, with the formation of the reservoir, the town received all lands above the water line between the two forks of the reservoir, as it was the only land connection to the peninsula. With its southern borders now following former branches of the Swift River, New Salem now includes most of the former town of Prescott (except for a small corner east of the Middle Branch of the Swift River, which is now in Petersham), and parts of Greenwich and Enfield. (All of the no…
Passages that mention New Salem, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of the town of Bernardston, Franklin county, Massachusetts. 1736-1900. With genealogies1902 · page 69Read the page →
Read the text
Park and Gould bought out Mr. Stratton and eventually Mr. Gould purchased the interest of his partner. He most successfully conducted the business until his death. George R. Paige of New Salem bought the property at the settlement of Mr. Gould's estate, and by his gentlemanly bearing and careful attention to all the details of its management, sustained the excellent reputation which this store has always borne. The store is now owned and successfully
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
New Salem, 1737 to 1947
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 1737, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. New Salem’s post office opened in 1802, and the first U.S. census counted 1,543 people here in 1790.
How does New Salem rank for history?
New Salem 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 New Salem?
Two places: the Whitaker-Clary House (listed 1975) and the New Salem Common Historic District (1978).
How old are the homes in New Salem?
39% of New Salem’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±10.4 points), against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town; the median home was built in 1973.
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 (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 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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