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A+History
History · Williamstown

Williamstown dates to 1749, and 33% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 97% of U.S. towns · #55 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it

7 places in town are on the National Register, among them four historic districts with 71 buildings between them. Below: 40 old photos and papers, maps from 1886 on, and the census since 1790.

1749founded
7on the National Register
33%homes built before 1940
40old photos & papers
28famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Williamstown’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Williamstown began

When was Williamstown founded?

1749

Williamstown dates its founding to 1749 (Wikidata). It appears in the first U.S. census, 1790.

First census: 1,769 in 17902020 census: 7,513277 years

How historic is Williamstown?

A+

More historic than 97% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1797.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Williamstown’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Williamstown is more historic than 97% of U.S. towns, #55 of 283 in Massachusetts. 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 Williamstown’s overall grade.
Founding era1749, from Wikidata: founded before 1776, an older era than 96% of U.S. townsA+Homes built before 194032.6% of homes (±4.8) · typical MA town 21.1% · U.S. 8.4%ANational Register7 listings, 83 historic buildings, 90.7 per 10,000 residents · typical MA town 46.0 · U.S. 2.4B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 97%
NewerOlder
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)Ahead of 81%

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 Williamstown’s 90.7 sits near the middle of its state (62% of Massachusetts towns have fewer) while its 83 historic buildings outnumber those of 88% of U.S. towns.

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 (±4.8 points). Two sources give 1749.

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 Williamstown’s past

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

A town in postcards40 old photos, postcards and papers, 1856–1941.Lost villages3 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Williamstown, and 8 old place names are still on the map.On the map since 18867 editions of the USGS map, 1886 to 1997. Watch Williamstown change.A historic districtThe Mill Village Historic District takes in 41 historic buildings.
★ What stands out · By decade

Williamstown, decade by decade

8 decades in the archive, from the 1850s to the 1940s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1850s–1890s6 items
Williamstown, Mass. As seen from Stone Hill1856Williamstown, Mass. As seen from Stone HillA Road inc. 1870A Road inCampus, Williams College, Williamstown, Mass1898Campus, Williams College, Williamstown, MassPostcardLasell Hall, Williams College, Williamstown, Mass1898Lasell Hall, Williams College, Williamstown, MassPostcardMorgan Hall, Williams College, Williamstown, Mass1898Morgan Hall, Williams College, Williamstown, MassPostcardThompson Memorial Church, Williams College, Williamstown, Mass1898Thompson Memorial Church, Williams College, Williamst…Postcard
1900s30 items
Congregational church1900Congregational churchSt. John's Episcopal Church1900St. John's Episcopal ChurchMorgan hall, Williams College1900Morgan hall, Williams CollegeCampus and Main Street, Williams College1900Campus and Main Street, Williams CollegeLaSell [i.e. Lasell] Gymnasium, Williams College1900LaSell [i.e. Lasell] Gymnasium, Williams CollegeJesup Hall, Williams College, Mass1900Jesup Hall, Williams College, MassDelta Kappa Epsilon fraternity house, Williams College1900Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity house, Williams CollegeAlpha Delta Phi fraternity house, Williams College1900Alpha Delta Phi fraternity house, Williams CollegeThe Chapel, Williams College, Mass1900The Chapel, Williams College, MassClark Hall, Williams College, Mass1900Clark Hall, Williams College, MassHopkins Hall, Williams College, Mass1900Hopkins Hall, Williams College, MassPhysics, chemistry, and biology buildings, Williams College, Mass1900Physics, chemistry, and biology buildings, Williams C…Kappa Alpha fraternity house, Williams College, Mass1900Kappa Alpha fraternity house, Williams College, MassGriffin Hall, Williams College, Mass1900Griffin Hall, Williams College, MassSigma Phi fraternity house, Williams College1902Sigma Phi fraternity house, Williams CollegeMain Street1904Main StreetThe Greylock1904The GreylockMain Street1904Main StreetHaystack Monument1904Haystack MonumentThe Campus, Williams College1904The Campus, Williams CollegeHaystack Monument. The birth place of American Foreign Missions1906Haystack Monument. The birth place of American Foreig…Main Street1907Main StreetPostcardPostcard of Southworth Avenue and the Dome1907–1915Postcard of Southworth Avenue and the DomePostcardPostcard of streetcars at F.A. Boyer's store at the 'Y' in1907–1915Postcard of streetcars at F.A. Boyer's store at the '…PostcardRoad to South Williamstown1907Road to South WilliamstownPostcardWilliamstown station postcard (2)1907–1915Williamstown station postcard (2)PostcardBerkshire Street Railway car at Sand Springs - postcard1907–1915Berkshire Street Railway car at Sand Springs - postca…PostcardThompson Memorial Chapel, Williams College1908Thompson Memorial Chapel, Williams CollegeThompson Memorial Chapel, Williams College, Mass1908Thompson Memorial Chapel, Williams College, MassDoorway, Thompson Memorial Chapel, Williams College, Mass1908Doorway, Thompson Memorial Chapel, Williams College, …
1910s–1940s4 items
Greylock Hotelc. 1910Greylock HotelPostcardGarden at The Williams Innc. 1920Garden at The Williams InnPostcardThe 1896 House -- Williamstown, Mass (81988)c. 1930The 1896 House -- Williamstown, Mass (81988)PostcardWilliamstown, Massachusetts. Father reading to his children1941Williamstown, Massachusetts. Father reading to his ch…
1950s–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
Places that used to be

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

Williamstown’s post office has been open since 1797. Three other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Williamstown
1797–today
South Williamstown
1827–1931
Sweets Crorners
1879–1895
Williamstown Station
1889–1909
17901910today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Hemlock BrookHemlock Brook EstatesMeadowvaleSouth WilliamstownSteeles CornersSweets CornerThe Spruces Mobile Home ParkWhite Oaks
Gone or out of use
Fort W HoosacmilitaryKrigers MilllocaleRed SchoolhouseschoolSherwoodlocale
3cemeteries and burying grounds inside Williamstown
CollegeEastlawnSouthlawn

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

On the map

Williamstown on the map, 1886 to 1997

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

Williamstown on the 1886 USGS mapWilliamstown on the 1891 USGS mapWilliamstown on the 1944 USGS mapWilliamstown on the 1960 USGS mapWilliamstown on the 1973 USGS mapWilliamstown on the 1988 USGS mapWilliamstown on the 1997 USGS map1886Greylock 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 Williamstown.

The story

How Williamstown came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Williamstown.

Read it all →

Originally called West Hoosac, the area was first settled in 1749. Prior to this time, its position along the Mohawk Trail made it ideal Mohican hunting grounds. Its strategic location bordering Dutch colonies in New York led to its settlement, because it was needed as a buffer to stop the Dutch from encroaching on Massachusetts. Fort West Hoosac, the westernmost blockhouse and stockade in Massachusetts, was built in 1756. The town was incorporated in 1765 as Williamstown according to the will of Col. Ephraim Williams, who was killed in the French and Indian War. He bequeathed a significant sum to the town on the condition that the town would be named after him and that a free school would be established. In 1791 the school opened but only lasted a short time as a free school. It became Williams College in 1793.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Williamstown in 1891

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

The Cascade is about a mile and a half from The Wilson and can be readily reached by following the highway to Williamstown to the Notch road, a road meeting the highway a few rods this side of the bridge which crosses the Hoosac at Braytonville.
The great bore1891 · page 56Read the page →
Read the text

The Cascade is about a mile and a half from The Wilson and can be readily reached by following the highway to Williamstown to the Notch road, a road meeting the highway a few rods this side of the bridge which crosses the Hoosac at Braytonville.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The road to Williamstown passes through the Williamstown valley and the little factory settlements of Braytonville, Greylock and Blackinton, and can readily be followed to the college town without more explicit direction.
The great bore1891 · page 64Read the page →
Read the text

The road to Williamstown passes through the Williamstown valley and the little factory settlements of Braytonville, Greylock and Blackinton, and can readily be followed to the college town without more explicit direction.

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

Williamstown, 1749 to 1942

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

  1. 18th century
  2. 1749
    FoundingWilliamstown is established
  3. 1770BuiltCol. Benjamin Simond House is built
  4. 1797Post officeThe Williamstown post office opens
  5. 19th century
  6. 1827Post officeThe South Williamstown post office opens
  7. 1856In the archiveWilliamstown, Mass. As seen from Stone Hill
  8. 1862Born hereFlorence Bascom is born here
  9. 1870In the archiveA Road in
  10. 1879Post officeThe Sweets Crorners post office opens
  11. 1886On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  12. 1892Born hereCarol Holloway is born here
  13. 1895Post officeThe Sweets Crorners post office closes
  14. 1898In the archiveCampus, Williams College, Williamstown, Mass
  15. 20th century
  16. 1900In the archiveCongregational church
  17. 1910In the archiveGreylock Hotel
  18. 1920In the archiveGarden at The Williams Inn
  19. 1931Post officeThe South Williamstown post office closes
  20. 1932BuiltUS Post Office-Williamstown Main is built
  21. 1942Born hereJohn Bennett Perry is born here
Every building

Williamstown, building by building, 1895–1922

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.

Williamstown fire insurance map, 1895, sheet 11895Sheet 1 of 3
Edition
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

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.

Williamstown, Mass. As seen from Stone Hill
Retake this viewWilliamstown, Mass. As seen from Stone Hill, 1856

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

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

7 listings protect 83 historic buildings

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

places listed
7
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
83
each building in a district counts
first listed
1983
Col. Benjamin Simond House
Col. Benjamin Simond House, built 1770Mill Village Historic DistrictUS Post Office-Williamstown Main, built 1932Five Corners Historic DistrictWilliamstown Rail Yard and Station Historic DistrictEast Lawn Cemetery and Sherman Burbank Memorial ChapelBoston Finishing Works
BuildingsDistricts

Architectural styles listings

Georgian2
Italianate2
Greek Revival2
Victorian2
Federal1
Colonial1
Col. Benjamin Simond HouseGeorgian · Built 1770
Mill Village Historic DistrictItalianate
US Post Office-Williamstown MainBuilt 1932
Five Corners Historic DistrictGeorgian
Williamstown Rail Yard and Station Historic DistrictVictorian
East Lawn Cemetery and Sherman Burbank Memorial ChapelLate Gothic Revival
Boston Finishing WorksBuilding

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

People over time

Williamstown, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00018001850190019502000Peak: 8,741

Between 1,769 and 8,741 people in every census since 1790.

19 censuses, 1790–2020.

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

Famous people

28 famous people were born in Williamstown

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

See all →
Matthew PerryAmerican-Canadian actor · b. 1969
Florence BascomAmerican geologist · b. 1862
J
John Bennett PerryAmerican actor · b. 1942
Carol HollowayActress · b. 1892
H
Hannah CohoonAmerican artist · b. 1781
Albert CummingsAmerican blues musician · b. 1968
Help out

Finish Williamstown’s story

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
5 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewWilliamstown, Mass. As seen from Stone …: 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.

North Adams25 historic placesA+ClarksburgIts storyA−Adams16 historic placesA+

Questions about Williamstown’s history

What year was Williamstown founded?

In 1749, according to Wikidata. Williamstown’s post office opened in 1797, and the first U.S. census counted 1,769 people here in 1790.

How does Williamstown rank for history?

Williamstown is more historic than 97% of U.S. towns, #55 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 Williamstown?

7 listings: 3 buildings, among them the Col. Benjamin Simond House (listed 1983, the first), and 4 historic districts with 71 contributing buildings. 83 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Williamstown?

33% of Williamstown’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.8 points), against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town; the median home was built in 1959.

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 (15), the Library of Congress (25), Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (7), 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.