Thomasville dates to 1852, and 12 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 54% of U.S. towns · #124 of 290 in North Carolina. What drives it
Most of Thomasville was built recently: 8% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1983. 12 places in town are on the National Register, among them three historic districts with 89 buildings between them. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1908 on, and the census since 1860.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1825.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Thomasville’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Thomasville is more historic than 54% of U.S. towns, #124 of 290 in North Carolina. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
B−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Thomasville’s overall grade.
North Carolina towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical North Carolina town has 12.5 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Thomasville’s 36.2 sits above most of its state (66% of North Carolina towns have fewer) while its 99 historic buildings outnumber those of 89% 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 (±2.6 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1852.
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 Thomasville’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
John Warwick Thomas was born June 27, 1800, and by age 22 owned 384 acres (155 ha) in the Cedar Lodge area after marrying Mary Lambeth, daughter of Moses Lambeth. By age 30 he was a state representative. In 1848 he became a state senator. He pushed to get a railroad built through Davidson County and even invested money. Knowing the railroad was coming, Thomas built the community's first store in 1852 at present-day West Main and Salem streets, and the community was named "Thomasville" for its founder. In 1855 the North Carolina Railroad was built through Davidson County, reaching Thomasville November 9. On January 8, 1857, Thomasville was incorporated and occupied one square mile, with the railroad dividing the town into north and south sections.
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.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Thomasville. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1949High Point West sheet · 1:24,000
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Thomasville.
Every building
Thomasville, building by building, 1908–1923
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.
In 1852, according to Wikidata. Thomasville’s post office opened in 1825, and the census of 1860 counted 308 people here.
How does Thomasville rank for history?
Thomasville is more historic than 54% of U.S. towns, #124 of 290 in North Carolina. 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 Thomasville?
12 listings: 7 buildings, among them the Thomasville Railroad Passenger Depot (listed 1981, the first), 3 historic districts, the Randolph Street Historic District, the Thomasville Downtown Historic District and the Salem Street Historic District, with 89 contributing buildings, and 2 sites. 99 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Thomasville?
8% of Thomasville’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.6 points), against a typical 4.1% for a North Carolina town; the median home was built in 1983.
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 (3), Wikidata (3), the National Register of Historic Places (12), 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.
