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A−History
History · Wilbraham

Wilbraham dates to 1730, and 10% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 79% of U.S. towns · #226 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it

1 place in town is on the National Register, among them a historic district with 24 buildings. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1887 on, and the census since 1790.

1730founded
1on the National Register
10%homes built before 1940
5old photos & papers
10famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Wilbraham’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Wilbraham began, and where its name came from

When was Wilbraham founded?

1730

Wilbraham dates its founding to 1730 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). It appears in the first U.S. census, 1790.

First census: 1,555 in 17902020 census: 14,613296 years

How did Wilbraham get its name?

The name originates from Wilburgham, a name indicating "Wilburga's homestead," Wilburga being the daughter of the seventh century King Penda of the Mercians who gave her the land.

How historic is Wilbraham?

A−

More historic than 79% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1821. Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Wilbraham’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Wilbraham is more historic than 79% of U.S. towns, #226 of 283 in Massachusetts. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Wilbraham’s overall grade.
Founding era1730, from Wikidata: founded before 1776, an older era than 96% of U.S. townsA+Homes built before 194010.4% of homes (±3.2) · typical MA town 21.1% · U.S. 8.4%B−National Register1 listing, 29 historic buildings, 19.9 per 10,000 residents · typical MA town 46.0 · U.S. 2.4B
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 79%
NewerOlder
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)Ahead of 20%

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 Wilbraham’s 19.9 sits near the middle of its state (36% 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 range from B to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.2 points). Two sources give 1730.

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 Wilbraham’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

On the map since 18877 editions of the USGS map, 1887 to 1975. Watch Wilbraham change.Shrank, then grewLost a third of its people between 1870 and 1900, then grew 9-fold.Lost villages1 post office opened and closed inside today’s Wilbraham, and 5 old place names are still on the map.A historic districtThe Academy Historic District takes in 24 historic buildings.
★ What stands out · On the map

Wilbraham on the map, 1887 to 1975

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Wilbraham. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Wilbraham on the 1887 USGS mapWilbraham on the 1893 USGS mapWilbraham on the 1919 USGS mapWilbraham on the 1939 USGS mapWilbraham on the 1940 USGS mapWilbraham on the 1958 USGS mapWilbraham on the 1975 USGS map1887Palmer 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 Wilbraham.

People over time

Wilbraham, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00012,00014,00016,000180018501900195020002,330 in 1870Low: 1,595

Lost a third of its people between 1870 and 1900, then grew 9-fold.

19 censuses, 1790–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Wilbraham’s Wikipedia page.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Wilbraham’s post office has been open since 1821. Another post office, North Wilbraham, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Wilbraham
1821–today
North Wilbraham
1878–1972
18201920today
Hamlets and corners on the map
ButlervilleEast WilbrahamMileoak CornerNorth WilbrahamRed Bridge
Gone or out of use
ButlervillelocaleEllis Millslocale
3cemeteries and burying grounds inside Wilbraham
AdamsEast WilbrahamWoodland Dell

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

The story

How Wilbraham came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Wilbraham.

Read it all →

The area today known as the Town of Wilbraham first became of interest in 1636 when a young man named William Pynchon (founder of Springfield) purchased the area from the Nipmuc starting at the Connecticut River in Springfield and extending to the foot of the Wilbraham Mountain Range by 1674. Wilbraham was first settled in 1730 by Nathaniel Hitchcock along with what is now Hampden, Massachusetts, as the Fourth District of Springfield. It was also known as the Outward Commons, Mountains or Springfield Mountain. Hitchcock built a log hut along what is now Main Street. Hunting and logging took place in the late 17th century.

Chapters17th and 18th centuries19th century20th century21st century

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Wilbraham in 1864

Passages that mention Wilbraham, cut from the printed page as they were published.

that of sending a Representative to this Court only excepted. And that the said Town shall have full Right and Liberty from Time to Time to join with said Town of Springfield in the choice of Representatives, to represent them at the General Assembly, And that the said Town of Wilbraham shall froif…
An historical address, delivered at the centennial celebration of the incorporation of the town of Wilbraham, June 15, 18631864 · page 216Read the page →
Read the text

that of sending a Representative to this Court only excepted. And that the said Town shall have full Right and Liberty from Time to Time to join with said Town of Springfield in the choice of Representatives, to represent them at the General Assembly, And that the said Town of Wilbraham shall froift Time to Time be at their Proportionable Part of the Expense of such Representatives, and the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of Wilbraham shall be notified of the Time and Place of Election, in like manner as the Inhabitants of said Springfield, by a warrant from the Selectmen of said Springfield, directed to the Constable of said

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
I. What is now the town of Wilbraham was a part of the territory of Springfield, whose settlement was commenced by William Pynchon and his associates, in 1636, ninety-five years before the settlement of this town. The territory of the town of Springfield was about twenty-five miles square, extendin…
An historical address, delivered at the centennial celebration of the incorporation of the town of Wilbraham, June 15, 18631864 · page 13Read the page →
Read the text

I. What is now the town of Wilbraham was a part of the territory of Springfield, whose settlement was commenced by William Pynchon and his associates, in 1636, ninety-five years before the settlement of this town. The territory of the town of Springfield was about twenty-five miles square, extending from Connecticut River east to the present line of Monson, west to Russell or thereabouts, and from Warehouse Point, or

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

Wilbraham, 1730 to 2020

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 18th century
  2. 1730
    FoundingWilbraham is established
  3. 19th century
  4. 1821Post officeThe Wilbraham post office opens
  5. 1836Born hereLucy Morris Chaffee Alden is born here
  6. 1878Post officeThe North Wilbraham post office opens
  7. 1887On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  8. 20th century
  9. 1903In the archiveRoad scraping, Wilbraham, Massachusetts, by an unknown photographer, c. 1903, from the Di…
  10. 1932In the archiveStation F-2, Chicopee River, Wilbraham, Mass., 2-00 PM sample, Sep. 29, 1932 - DPLA - b3c…
  11. 1934Born hereRaymond Kennedy is born here
  12. 1961Born hereAnn Sarnoff is born here
  13. 1972Post officeThe North Wilbraham post office closes
  14. 1981Born hereErin Crocker is born here
  15. 21st century
  16. 2020CensusPopulation peaks at 14,613
By decade

Wilbraham, decade by decade

2 decades in the archive, from the 1900s to the 1930s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1900s–1930s5 items
Road scraping, Wilbraham, Massachusetts, by an unknown photographer, c. 1903, from the Digital Commonwealth - commonwea…c. 1903Road scraping, Wilbraham, Massachusetts, by an unknow…Station F-2, Chicopee River, Wilbraham, Mass., 2-00 PM sample, Sep. 29, 1932 - DPLA - b3ce152bc23061963895aa5c440a1f811932Station F-2, Chicopee River, Wilbraham, Mass., 2-00 P…Wastes from Collins Manufacturing Co. above Station F-2, Wilbraham, Mass., 1-45 PM, Sep. 29, 1932 - DPLA - 08f51093013f…1932Wastes from Collins Manufacturing Co. above Station F…Wastes from Collins Manufacturing Co. above Station F-2, Wilbraham, Mass., 1-45 PM, Sep. 29, 1932 - DPLA - cc0ec0b92512…1932Wastes from Collins Manufacturing Co. above Station F…Wastes from Collins Manufacturing Co. above Station F-2, Wilbraham, Mass., 2-00 PM, Sep. 29, 1932 - DPLA - 2f822670e38e…1932Wastes from Collins Manufacturing Co. above Station F…
1940s–1990snothing yet
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.
Add from your album
Today1 recent
Wilbraham Center, MA2009Wilbraham Center, MA
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Road scraping, Wilbraham, Massachusetts, by an unknown photographer, c. 1903, from the Digital Commonwealth - commonwea…
Retake this viewRoad scraping, Wilbraham, Massachusetts, by an unknown photographer, c. 1903, from the Digital Commonwealth - commonwea…, c. 1903

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Wilbraham’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

1 listing protects 29 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
29
each building in a district counts
first listed
1979
Academy Historic District
Academy Historic District
Districts

Architectural styles listings

Federal1
Romanesque Revival1
Gothic Revival1
Greek Revival1
Italianate1
Carpenter Gothic1
Academy Historic DistrictFederal

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Famous people

10 famous people were born in Wilbraham

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
A
Ann SarnoffAmerican business woman · b. 1961
Erin CrockerAmerican racecar driver · b. 1981
Lucy Morris Chaffee AldenAmerican author, educator, hymn writer · b. 1836
R
Raymond KennedyAmerican writer · b. 1934
Elisha B. MaynardAmerican politician · b. 1842
E
Ed CassianAmerican baseball player · b. 1867
Help out

Finish Wilbraham’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
2 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewRoad scraping, Wilbraham, Massachusetts…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Ludlow2 historic placesA−Hampden1 historic placeB+

Questions about Wilbraham’s history

What year was Wilbraham founded?

In 1730, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Wilbraham’s post office opened in 1821, and the first U.S. census counted 1,555 people here in 1790.

How does Wilbraham rank for history?

Wilbraham is more historic than 79% of U.S. towns, #226 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 Wilbraham?

One place: the Academy Historic District (listed 1979).

How old are the homes in Wilbraham?

10% of Wilbraham’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.2 points), against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town; the median home was built in 1966.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

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 (1), 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.