Whitman dates to 1875, and 38% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 61% of U.S. towns · #269 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Its Register listings are the Whitman Park and the Commonwealth Shoe and Leather Co.. Below: 8 old photos and papers, maps from 1885 on, and the census since 1880.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1844.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Whitman’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Whitman is more historic than 61% of U.S. towns, #269 of 283 in Massachusetts. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
B
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Whitman’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 Whitman’s 2.0 sits below most of its state (13% of Massachusetts towns have fewer) while its 3 historic buildings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to B+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.6 points). Two sources give 1875.
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 Whitman’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Whitman. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1885Abington sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Whitman.
Places that used to be
Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds
Whitman’s post office has been open since 1886. Three other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.
South Abington
1844–1886
South Abington Station
1878–1898
Whitman
1886–today
East Whitman
1898–1907
18401930today
Hamlets and corners on the map
AuburnvilleRye HillWinslow Estates
Gone or out of use
Washington Street StationlocaleWhitman Post Officepost office
3cemeteries and burying grounds inside Whitman
ColebrookMount ZionSaint James
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Every building
Whitman, building by building, 1891–1919
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.
Little Comfort, then part of Bridgewater was first settled by Europeans beginning around 1675. Abington (including Little Comfort) separated from Bridgewater in 1712. South Abington was established as a separate parish in the 19th century. It was incorporated as a separate town on March 4, 1875. It was renamed Whitman by town vote on May 3, 1886. The name was in honor of Jared Whitman, a local lawyer who served in the 1839 and 1840 state legislatures. Whitman's early industry included shoemaking.
Passages that mention Whitman, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Brockton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1656-18941895 · page 505Read the page →
Read the text
Petition of the North Parish (Asa Howard and others) to be Incorporated into a Town — Remonstrance of Gideon Howard and others — Remonstrance of Ehab Whitman and others — Petition in aid of Asa Howard and others for an Act of Incorporation — Remonstrance of Daniel Howard, Esq., as Agent for the Town of Bridgewater — Vote of the Town — Petition of Jesse Packard and others in aid of Asa Howard's Petition — The Act of Incorporation as passed June 15, 1821 — First Town Meeting.
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
Whitman, 1844 to 1984
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.
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 1875, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Whitman’s post office opened in 1844, and the census of 1880 counted 3,024 people here.
How does Whitman rank for history?
Whitman is more historic than 61% of U.S. towns, #269 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 Whitman?
Two places: the Whitman Park (listed 2004) and the Commonwealth Shoe and Leather Co. (2014).
How old are the homes in Whitman?
38% of Whitman’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.6 points), against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town; the median home was built in 1957.
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, 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.
1917
1937
1937
2010
2008
2008
2004