Revere dates to 1630, and 26% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 85% of U.S. towns · #185 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
9 places in town are on the National Register, among them the Revere Beach Reservation, a National Historic Landmark, and two historic districts with 2 buildings between them. Below: 11 old photos and papers, maps from 1891 on, and the census since 1850.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1846.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Revere’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Revere is more historic than 85% of U.S. towns, #185 of 283 in Massachusetts. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Revere’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 Revere’s 1.5 sits below most of its state (10% of Massachusetts towns have fewer) while its 9 listings outnumber those of 75% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1630.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A+. The pre-1940 share (±2.6 points) is firm at this size.
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 Revere’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The area's earliest known inhabitants were Native Americans belonging to the Pawtucket tribe and were known to colonists as the "Rumney Marsh Indians." This group was said to reside on the edges of the Rumney Marsh marshland. However, the origin of the name that is used for the marshland even to this day, is unclear. Nanepashemet, known to colonists as "Sagamore George," was the leader, or Great Sachem of the Pawtucket Confederation of Abenaki People of Lynn (which at that time included present day Revere). One branch of Nanepashemet's family is thought to have taken "Rumney Marsh" as their surname.
Passages that mention Revere, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Professional and industrial history of Suffolk County, Massachusetts1894 · page 496Read the page →
Read the text
Revere and Winthrup were incorporated in 184G as North Chelsea. Winthrop was set off in 1S32, and North Chelsea changed its name to Revere in 1871. It is named after Paul Revere, the courier of the Revolution.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Professional and industrial history of Suffolk County, Massachusetts1894Read the page →
Read the text
Winthrop, set off from North Chelsea (Revere) in 1853, was named after Deane Winthrop. The Post-Office was established February 2, 1853, and has had but one chief, Warren Belcher having been Postmaster up to May :]1, 1875, and head of the Station since. His allowance in 1855 was $17.17; the surplus, $5.84; the community served, less than 500. The Census of 1870 reports the population of Winthrop at 532.
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.
By decade
Revere, decade by decade
One decade in the archive so far: the 1900s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
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 1630, according to Wikidata. Revere’s post office opened in 1846, and the census of 1850 counted 935 people here.
How does Revere rank for history?
Revere is more historic than 85% of U.S. towns, #185 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 Revere?
9 listings: 4 buildings, 2 historic districts, the Winthrop Parkway, Metropolitan Parkway System of Greater Boston and the Revere Beach Reservation Historic District, with 2 contributing buildings, 2 sites, and 1 structure.
How old are the homes in Revere?
26% of Revere’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.6 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 (4), the Library of Congress (7), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (9), 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.
★ Landmark
![Winthrop, set off from North Chelsea (Revere) in 1853, was named after Deane Winthrop. The Post-Office was established February 2, 1853, and has had but one chief, Warren Belcher having been Postmaster up to May :]1, 1875, and head of the Station since. His allowance in 1855 was $17.17; the surplus…](https://images.townratings.com/story/7521/bk-81338b2ec24a9b33-l.jpg)
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