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A−History
History · Salisbury

Salisbury dates to 1732, and 12% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 84% of U.S. towns · #27 of 261 in Maryland. What drives it

10 places in town are on the National Register. Below: 18 old photos and papers, maps from 1885 on, and the census since 1850.

1732founded
10on the National Register
12%homes built before 1940
18old photos & papers
34famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Salisbury’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Salisbury began

When was Salisbury founded?

1732

Salisbury dates its founding to 1732 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1850.

First census: 947 in 18502020 census: 33,050294 years

How historic is Salisbury?

A−

More historic than 84% 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: 1792.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Salisbury’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Salisbury is more historic than 84% of U.S. towns, #27 of 261 in Maryland. 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 Salisbury’s overall grade.
Founding era1732, from Wikidata: founded before 1776, an older era than 96% of U.S. townsA+Homes built before 194011.8% of homes (±2.1) · typical MD town 3.3% · U.S. 8.4%B−National Register10 listings, 11 historic buildings, 3.3 per 10,000 residents · typical MD town 0.9 · U.S. 2.4B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 84%
NewerOlder
Maryland towns of 2,500+ (261)Ahead of 90%

Few Maryland towns list much on the Register (a typical Maryland town has 0.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Salisbury’s 3.3 sits near the middle of its state (58% of Maryland towns have fewer) while its 11 historic buildings outnumber those of 76% 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 (±2.1 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1732.

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 Salisbury’s past

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

Lost villages17 hamlets and corners are still on the map.Mapped building by building8 fire insurance maps, 1885 to 1923, drew every building in Salisbury.A town in postcards18 old photos, postcards and papers, 1900–1930.On the map since 19013 editions of the USGS map, 1901 to 1982. Watch Salisbury change.
★ What stands out · Places that used to be

Old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Salisbury’s post office has been open since 1792.

Hamlets and corners on the map
CaliforniaCamdenCantonFoggy BottomFrankfordHotton AcresHyde ParkJerseyLakewoodLivingston HeightsNevins AdditionNorthwoodPecan AcresPhilmore ParkRiverside HomesSunayrVictory Gardens
Gone or out of use
Baileys MilllocaleSaint James African Methodist Episcopal Zion ChurchchurchSalisbury AcademyschoolThe Park Seventh Day Adventist Churchchurch
2cemeteries and burying grounds inside Salisbury
HustonsParsons

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

Every building

Salisbury, building by building, 1885–1923

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.

Salisbury fire insurance map, 1885, sheet 11885Sheet 1 of 2
Edition
BrickWoodStone

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

By decade

Salisbury, decade by decade

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

1900s–1910s5 items
Allen's strawberry catalogue for 19001900Allen's strawberry catalogue for 1900Maryland. Salisbury. Business section of Main Street1915Maryland. Salisbury. Business section of Main StreetMaryland - Point of Rocks through1917Maryland - Point of Rocks throughMaryland - Point of Rocks through1917Maryland - Point of Rocks throughWar Relief - American Committee for Armenian and Syrian Relief [165-WW-559C-75]1917War Relief - American Committee for Armenian and Syri…
1930s13 items
Ayers Diner -- Shore's Finest, U. S. Route 13 -- Ocean Highway, North Salisbury, Maryland (86523)c. 1930Ayers Diner -- Shore's Finest, U. S. Route 13 -- Ocea…PostcardGreetings from Salisbury, Md (70307)c. 1930Greetings from Salisbury, Md (70307)PostcardMain and Division Streets, showing Wicomico Hotel, Salisbury, Md (70306)c. 1930Main and Division Streets, showing Wicomico Hotel, Sa…PostcardMaryland State Teachers College, Salisbury, Md (70301)c. 1930Maryland State Teachers College, Salisbury, Md (70301)PostcardMunicipal Park, Salisbury, Md (70302)c. 1930Municipal Park, Salisbury, Md (70302)PostcardMunicipal park and high school, Salisbury, Md (70303)c. 1930Municipal park and high school, Salisbury, Md (70303)PostcardPost office, Salisbury, Md (70305)c. 1930Post office, Salisbury, Md (70305)PostcardSalisbury main street post card (cropped)1930Salisbury main street post card (cropped)PostcardSalisbury main street post card1930Salisbury main street post cardPostcardSunshine Laundry, Salisbury, Md (76056)c. 1930Sunshine Laundry, Salisbury, Md (76056)PostcardSunshine Laundry, Salisbury, Md. -- fur and garment storage vault, rug storage vault (76057)c. 1930Sunshine Laundry, Salisbury, Md. -- fur and garment s…PostcardView along the Wicomico River, Salisbury, Md (70300)c. 1930View along the Wicomico River, Salisbury, Md (70300)PostcardWicomico River, Salisbury, Md (70299)c. 1930Wicomico River, Salisbury, Md (70299)Postcard
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
The story

How Salisbury came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Salisbury.

Read it all →

Salisbury's location at the head of Wicomico River was a major factor in growth. At first, it was a small colonial outpost set up by Lord Baltimore. Salisbury was established in 1732.

Salisbury's location at the head of the Wicomico River was seen to be a convenient location for trading purposes. Due to the similar physical attributes as well as the nationality of Salisbury's founders, many historians believe that the name was inspired by the city of Salisbury, England, an ancient cathedral city.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Salisbury, 1732 to 1987

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

  1. 18th century
  2. 1732
    FoundingSalisbury is established
  3. 1792Post officeThe Salisbury post office opens
  4. 20th century
  5. 1900In the archiveAllen's strawberry catalogue for 1900
  6. 1901On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  7. 1915In the archiveMaryland. Salisbury. Business section of Main Street
  8. 1930In the archiveAyers Diner -- Shore's Finest, U. S. Route 13 -- Ocean Highway, North Salisbury, Maryland…
  9. 1933Born herePaul Sarbanes is born here
  10. 1956Born hereLinda Hamilton is born here
  11. 1966Born hereAlexis Denisof is born here
  12. 1987Born hereJessica Lee Rose is born here
On the map

Salisbury on the map, 1901 to 1982

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

Salisbury on the 1901 USGS mapSalisbury on the 1942 USGS mapSalisbury on the 1982 USGS map1901Salisbury 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 Salisbury.

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.

Allen's strawberry catalogue for 1900
Retake this viewAllen's strawberry catalogue for 1900, 1900

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

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

10 historic places in Salisbury

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

places listed
10
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
11
each building in a district counts
first listed
1971
Pemberton Hall
Pemberton HallPoplar Hill MansionGillis-Grier HouseSen. William P. Jackson HousePerry-Cooper HouseWailes, F. Leonard, Law OfficeUnion Station, WI-150United States Post OfficeHoneysuckle LodgeWicomico River Bridge
BuildingsStructures

Architectural styles listings

Colonial Revival3
Eclectic2
Queen Anne1
Victorian French Mansard1
Neo-Federal1
Craftsman1
Pemberton HallBuilding
Poplar Hill MansionBuilding
Gillis-Grier HouseEclectic
Sen. William P. Jackson HouseQueen Anne
Perry-Cooper HouseVictorian French Mansard
Wailes, F. Leonard, Law OfficeColonial Revival
Union Station, WI-150Colonial Revival
United States Post OfficeBuilding
All 10 listings
Honeysuckle LodgeBuilding · listed 1996Wicomico River BridgeStructure · listed 2025

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

People over time

Salisbury, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,00030,00035,000185019001950200033,050

Grew from 947 people in 1850 to 33,050 in 2020, more than tenfold.

17 censuses, 1850–2020.

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

Famous people

34 famous people were born in Salisbury

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

See all →
Linda HamiltonAmerican actress · b. 1956
A
Alexis DenisofAmerican actor · b. 1966
J
Jessica Lee RoseNew Zealand-American actress · b. 1987
Paul SarbanesAmerican politician · b. 1933
Jay BriscoeAmerican professional wrestler · b. 1984
William Purnell JacksonRepublican senator for Maryland · b. 1868
Help out

Finish Salisbury’s story

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
3 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewAllen's strawberry catalogue for 1900: 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.

FruitlandIts storyC

Questions about Salisbury’s history

What year was Salisbury founded?

In 1732, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Salisbury’s post office opened in 1792, and the census of 1850 counted 947 people here.

How does Salisbury rank for history?

Salisbury is more historic than 84% of U.S. towns, #27 of 261 in Maryland. 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 Salisbury?

10 listings: 9 buildings, among them the Pemberton Hall (listed 1971, the first), and 1 structure. 11 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Salisbury?

12% of Salisbury’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.1 points), against a typical 3.3% for a Maryland town; the median home was built in 1983.

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 (17), the Library of Congress (1), the National Register of Historic Places (10), 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 Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.