3 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 30 buildings. Below: 4 old photos and papers from 1909 on and old-book passages.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1812.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Oakham’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Oakham is more historic than 92% 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 Oakham’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 Oakham’s 195 sits above most of its state (76% of Massachusetts towns have fewer) while its 32 historic buildings outnumber those of 82% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1749.
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 (±4.4 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 Oakham’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Oakham was first settled by British colonists in 1749 as part of Rutland, and was officially incorporated in 1762. It was originally named Oakhampton, but the name was changed for an unknown reason.
The village of Coldbrook Springs was a part of Oakham, near the Barre line, established on the site of a natural iron spring. A railroad depot was built in nearby in the 1830s and the village eventually included a hotel, tavern, medicinal spa, and a number of houses. The area is part of the Ware River Watershed and now part of the Massachusetts state forest, having been cleared of all structures as a part of the Quabbin Reservoir Aqueduct system.
The Pine Plains were bounded on the West Wing, now Oakham, and were common to all the proprietors to get timber and board logs, until they were laid out, numbered, pitched or drawn, by lot. It was the practice of some of the first settlers, in a dry season, to fire the plains, that they might have better browsing for their own cattle, and those they took from the lower towns. One season the fire extended into the West wing, and injured the ap-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
line, 1729 and 1730, From ten road road through Dublin to House Lot, No. 53, 1730, From ten road road to Oakham line, called Iladley road, 1731, From ten rod road by Grass Hill to Paxton line, 1731, From ten rod road to Joyner's Hill,
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
Oakham, 1749 to 1931
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 1749, according to Wikidata. Oakham’s post office opened in 1812.
How does Oakham rank for history?
Oakham is more historic than 92% 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 Oakham?
Three places: the West Brick School (listed 2011), the Fobes-O'Donnell House (2018) and the Oakham Center Historic District (2020).
How old are the homes in Oakham?
18% of Oakham’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.4 points), against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town; the median home was built in 1979.
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 (6), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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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1930
2009
2006