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History · Goshen

Goshen dates to 1791, and 18% of its homes were built before 1940

19 places in town are on the National Register. Below: maps from 1902 on and the census since 1800.

1791founded
19on the National Register
18%homes built before 1940
1famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Goshen began

When was Goshen founded?

1791

Goshen dates its founding to 1791 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1800.

First census: 383 in 18002020 census: 796235 years
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1819.The full story ↓

What stands out about Goshen’s past

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

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Goshen are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Landmarks on the Register19 places on the National Register.Shrank, then grewLost two-thirds of its people between 1840 and 1930, then grew 3-fold.On the map since 19024 editions of the USGS map, 1902 to 1998. Watch Goshen change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Goshen’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Goshen’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the National Register

19 historic places in Goshen

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

places listed
19
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
25
each building in a district counts
first listed
1979
Capt. John Gunnison House
Capt. John Gunnison HouseBackside InnBurford HouseCote HouseCovit HouseDurham HouseGarber HouseGiffin HouseJanicke HouseKnights-Morey HouseLear HousePike HousePurnell HouseScranton HouseSeavey HouseStelljes HouseWelcome AcresWilliamson HouseWindswept Acres-Powers House
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Greek Revival3
Federal2
Italianate1
Stick1
Cape1
Capt. John Gunnison HouseFederal
Backside InnBuilding
Burford HouseFederal
Cote HouseBuilding
Covit HouseBuilding
Durham HouseGreek Revival
Garber HouseBuilding
Giffin HouseBuilding
All 19 listings
Janicke HouseBuilding · listed 1985Knights-Morey HouseBuilding · listed 1985Lear HouseBuilding · listed 1985Pike HouseBuilding · listed 1985Purnell HouseBuilding · listed 1985Scranton HouseBuilding · listed 1985Seavey HouseBuilding · listed 1985Stelljes HouseBuilding · listed 1985Welcome AcresBuilding · listed 1985Williamson HouseBuilding · listed 1985Windswept Acres-Powers HouseBuilding · listed 1985

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

People over time

Goshen, census by census

020040060080018001850190019502000779 in 1840Low: 255

Lost two-thirds of its people between 1840 and 1930, then grew 3-fold.

23 censuses, 1800–2020.

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

The story

How Goshen came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Goshen.

Read it all →

Incorporated in 1791, Goshen was first settled in 1768 as a part of Saville (now Sunapee). The name "Goshen" may have been taken from Goshen, Connecticut, where many residents had relatives.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Goshen, 1791 to 2010

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

  1. 18th century
  2. 1791
    FoundingGoshen is established
  3. 19th century
  4. 1812Born hereJohn Williams Gunnison is born here
  5. 1819Post officeThe Goshen post office opens
  6. 1852Post officeThe Mill Village post office opens
  7. 20th century
  8. 1902On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  9. 1931Post officeThe Goshen post office closes
  10. 1942Post officeThe Mill Village post office closes
  11. 1942Post officeThe Goshen post office opens
  12. 21st century
  13. 2010CensusPopulation peaks at 810
By decade

Goshen, decade by decade

Today6 recent
Olive G Pettis Library2019Olive G Pettis LibrarySoBranchSugarRiverNH2016SoBranchSugarRiverNHToaster Rock on Mt. Sunapee2015Toaster Rock on Mt. SunapeeGoshen NH Fire Department2014Goshen NH Fire DepartmentGoshenNH GrangeHall2013GoshenNH GrangeHallGoshenNH BacksideInn2012GoshenNH BacksideInn
On the map

Goshen on the map, 1902 to 1998

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

Goshen on the 1902 USGS mapGoshen on the 1955 USGS mapGoshen on the 1984 USGS mapGoshen on the 1998 USGS map1902Sunapee 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 Goshen.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices and old corners

Goshen had its own post office from 1819 to 1931. Another post office, Mill Village, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Goshen
1819–1931
Mill Village
1852–1942
Goshen
1942–today
18101920today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Goshen Four Corners

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

Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Newport11 historic placesA+SunapeeIts storyBNewbury2 historic placesALempster2 historic placesAWashington1 historic placeA−Unity1 historic placeB+

Questions about Goshen’s history

What year was Goshen founded?

In 1791, according to Wikidata. Goshen’s post office opened in 1819, and the census of 1800 counted 383 people here.

What is on the National Register in Goshen?

19 listings: 19 buildings, among them the Capt. John Gunnison House (listed 1979, the first). 25 historic buildings in all.

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). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikidata (10), the National Register of Historic Places (19), 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) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.