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A−History
History · Norridgewock

Norridgewock dates to 1788, and 19% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 82% of U.S. towns · #72 of 143 in Maine. What drives it

7 places in town are on the National Register. Below: 19 old photos and papers, maps from 1887 on, and the census since 1790.

1788founded
7on the National Register
19%homes built before 1940
19old photos & papers
9famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Norridgewock’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Norridgewock began

When was Norridgewock founded?

1788

Norridgewock dates its founding to 1788 (Wikipedia’s history). It appears in the first U.S. census, 1790.

First census: 333 in 17902020 census: 3,278238 years

How historic is Norridgewock?

A−

More historic than 82% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1795.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Norridgewock’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Norridgewock is more historic than 82% of U.S. towns, #72 of 143 in Maine. 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 Norridgewock’s overall grade.
Founding era1788, from Wikipedia: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 194019.0% of homes (±9.9) · typical ME town 19.1% · U.S. 8.4%B+National Register7 listings, 21.3 per 10,000 residents · typical ME town 15.9 · U.S. 2.4B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 82%
NewerOlder
Maine towns of 2,500+ (143)Ahead of 50%

Maine towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Maine town has 15.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Norridgewock’s 21.3 sits near the middle of its state (60% of Maine towns have fewer) while its 7 listings outnumber those of 73% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikipedia alone; no second source gives 1788.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would still be A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±9.9 points).

Founding year: Wikipedia (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 Norridgewock’s past

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

Shrank, then grewLost half of its people between 1840 and 1860, then grew 4-fold.On the map since 18944 editions of the USGS map, 1894 to 1982. Watch Norridgewock change.A town in old photos19 old photos, postcards and papers, 1856–1970.Lost villages3 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Norridgewock, and 1 old place names are still on the map.
★ What stands out · People over time

Norridgewock, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,500180018501900195020001,865 in 1840Low: 714

Lost half of its people between 1840 and 1860, then grew 4-fold.

24 censuses, 1790–2020.

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

On the map

Norridgewock on the map, 1894 to 1982

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

Norridgewock on the 1894 USGS mapNorridgewock on the 1943 USGS mapNorridgewock on the 1956 USGS mapNorridgewock on the 1982 USGS map1894Norridgewock 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 Norridgewock.

By decade

Norridgewock, decade by decade

5 decades in the archive, from the 1850s to the 1970s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1850s–1860s9 items
Death of Father Sebastian Rale of the Society of Jesus1856Death of Father Sebastian Rale of the Society of JesusCourt House and Church, Norridgewock. Kennebec Valley.Alternate Title: New England Viewsc. 1869Court House and Church, Norridgewock. Kennebec Valley…Court House and Church, Norridgewock. Kennebec Valley.Alternate Title: New England Viewsc. 1869Court House and Church, Norridgewock. Kennebec Valley…Court House and Church, Norridgewock. Kennebec Valley.Alternate Title: New England Viewsc. 1869Court House and Church, Norridgewock. Kennebec Valley…Court House and Church, Norridgewock. Kennebec Valley.Alternate Title: New England Viewsc. 1869Court House and Church, Norridgewock. Kennebec Valley…Main Street, Norridgewock. Kennebec Valley.Alternate Title: New England Viewsc. 1869Main Street, Norridgewock. Kennebec Valley.Alternate …Main Street, Norridgewock. Kennebec Valley.Alternate Title: New England Viewsc. 1869Main Street, Norridgewock. Kennebec Valley.Alternate …Norridgewock, from Gilman Hill.Alternate Title: Kennebec Valley Viewsc. 1869Norridgewock, from Gilman Hill.Alternate Title: Kenne…Norridgewock, from Gilman Hill.Alternate Title: Kennebec Valley Viewsc. 1869Norridgewock, from Gilman Hill.Alternate Title: Kenne…
1900s–1910s2 items
Main Street1904Main StreetPostcardCovered Bridgec. 1912Covered BridgePostcard
1920s–1960snothing 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
1970s2 items
NORRIDGEWOCK FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY1970NORRIDGEWOCK FREE PUBLIC LIBRARYSOPHIE MAY HOUSE1970SOPHIE MAY HOUSE
1980s–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
Date unknown6 to date
Annual report of the municipal officers of the town ofDate?Annual report of the municipal officers of the town ofBookAnnual report of the municipal officers of the town ofDate?Annual report of the municipal officers of the town ofBookAnnual report of the municipal officers of the town ofDate?Annual report of the municipal officers of the town ofBookBooks from the Library of Congress (IA historyofnorridg00allea)Date?Books from the Library of Congress (IA historyofnorri…BookThe history of Norridgewock (microform) - comprising memorials of the aboriginal inhabitants and Jesuit missionaries, h…Date?The history of Norridgewock (microform) - comprising …BookThe history of Norridgewock - comprising memorials of the aboriginal inhabitants and Jesuit missionaries - hardships of…Date?The history of Norridgewock - comprising memorials of…Book
Today7 recent
NorridgewockME SpauldingHouse2022NorridgewockME SpauldingHouseNorridgewockME SophieMayHouse2022NorridgewockME SophieMayHouseNorridgewockME PublicLibrary2022NorridgewockME PublicLibraryNorridgewockME CFDouglasHouse2022NorridgewockME CFDouglasHouseNorridgewockME FreeLibrary2018NorridgewockME FreeLibraryNorridgewockME FormerFemaleAcademy2018NorridgewockME FormerFemaleAcademyPumpkins2011Pumpkins
The story

How Norridgewock came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Norridgewock.

Read it all →

Situated on the New England and Acadia border, which New France defined as the Kennebec River, the area was once territory of the Norridgewock Indians, a band of the Abenaki nation. Their village was located at Old Point, now part of Madison.

ChaptersNative AmericansSubsequent history

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Norridgewock, 1788 to 1970

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

  1. 18th century
  2. 1788
    FoundingNorridgewock is established
  3. 1795Post officeThe Norridgewock post office opens
  4. 19th century
  5. 1805Born hereCullen Sawtelle is born here
  6. 1809Born hereVolney Howard is born here
  7. 1828Born hereStephen Lindsey is born here
  8. 1833Born hereRebecca Sophia Clarke is born here
  9. 1833Post officeThe North Norridgewock post office opens
  10. 1833Post officeThe South Norridgewock post office opens
  11. 1834Post officeThe North Norridgewock post office closes
  12. 1835BuiltSpaulding House is built
  13. 1845BuiltSophie May House is built
  14. 1856In the archiveDeath of Father Sebastian Rale of the Society of Jesus
  15. 1869In the archiveCourt House and Church, Norridgewock. Kennebec Valley.Alternate Title: New England Views
  16. 1894On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  17. 20th century
  18. 1902Post officeThe South Norridgewock post office closes
  19. 1904In the archiveMain Street
  20. 1912In the archiveCovered Bridge
  21. 1970In the archiveNORRIDGEWOCK FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Every building

Norridgewock, building by building, 1887–1911

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.

Norridgewock fire insurance map, 1887, sheet 11887Sheet 1 of 1
Edition
Sheets
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.

Death of Father Sebastian Rale of the Society of Jesus
Retake this viewDeath of Father Sebastian Rale of the Society of Jesus, 1856

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

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

7 historic places in Norridgewock

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

places listed
7
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
7
each building in a district counts
first listed
1973
Old Point and Sebastian Rale Monument
Sophie May House, built 1845C. F. Douglas HouseSpaulding House, built 1835Norridgewock Free Public LibraryEaton SchoolNorridgewock Female AcademyOld Point and Sebastian Rale Monument
BuildingsSites

Architectural styles listings

Greek Revival4
Italian Villa1
Second Empire1
Sophie May HouseGreek Revival · Built 1845
C. F. Douglas HouseItalian Villa
Spaulding HouseGreek Revival · Built 1835
Norridgewock Free Public LibraryGreek Revival
Eaton SchoolSecond Empire
Norridgewock Female AcademyGreek Revival
All 7 listings
Old Point and Sebastian Rale MonumentSite · listed 1973

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

Famous people

9 famous people were born in Norridgewock

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

See all →
Rebecca Sophia ClarkeAmerican author of children's books · b. 1833
Stephen LindseyAmerican politician · b. 1828
Volney HowardAmerican politician · b. 1809
Cullen SawtelleAmerican politician · b. 1805
Nathan AbbottLawyer, law teacher · b. 1854
C
Charles Frederic AllenAmerican clergyman and educator · b. 1816
Places that used to be

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

Norridgewock’s post office has been open since 1795. Three other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Norridgewock
1795–today
North Norridgewock
1833–1834
South Norridgewock
1833–1902
Oosoola
1849–1856
17901910today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Sandy River
Gone or out of use
Eaton SchoolschoolSandy River Damdam
5cemeteries and burying grounds inside Norridgewock
Land of RestLongleyOld OakRiverviewSunset View

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

Help out

Finish Norridgewock’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.
Date a photo6 archive items have no date. Guess the decade.+2Retake an old viewDeath of Father Sebastian Rale of the S…: 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.

Starks1 historic placenot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townMadison3 historic placesA−Mercer3 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townSmithfield1 historic placenot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townSkowhegan13 historic placesA+Fairfield9 historic placesA

Questions about Norridgewock’s history

What year was Norridgewock founded?

In 1788, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Norridgewock’s post office opened in 1795, and the first U.S. census counted 333 people here in 1790.

How does Norridgewock rank for history?

Norridgewock is more historic than 82% of U.S. towns, #72 of 143 in Maine. 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 Norridgewock?

7 listings: 6 buildings and 1 site.

How old are the homes in Norridgewock?

19% of Norridgewock’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±9.9 points), against a typical 19% for a Maine town; the median home was built in 1984.

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 (26), Wikidata (4), 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 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.