Jaffrey dates to 1773, and 33% of its homes were built before 1940
Among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns · #3 of 126 in New Hampshire. What drives it
4 places in town are on the National Register, among them two historic districts with 34 buildings between them. Below: 9 old photos and papers, maps from 1898 on, and the census since 1790.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1830.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Jaffrey’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Jaffrey is among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns, #3 of 126 in New Hampshire. All 3 inputs put Jaffrey near the top nationally; its age ranks highest.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Jaffrey’s overall grade.
New Hampshire towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical New Hampshire town has 9.5 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Jaffrey’s 312 sits above most of its state (95% of New Hampshire towns have fewer) while its 170 historic buildings outnumber those of 92% of U.S. towns.
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 (±7.9 points). Two sources give 1773.
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 Jaffrey’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
First granted by the Massachusetts General Court in 1736 to soldiers from Rowley, Massachusetts, returning from the war in Canada, the town was known as "Rowley-Canada". In 1749, the town was re-chartered by the Mason proprietors as "Monadnock No. 2", sometimes called "Middle Monadnock" or "Middletown". It was one of the first towns established following the Masonian proprietors' purchase of undivided lands under the claim.
Passages that mention Jaffrey, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of the town of Jaffrey, New Hampshire, from the date of the Masonian charter to the present time, 1749-18801881 · page 53Read the page →
Read the text
The old county road from Rindge, through the southwest part of Jaffrey to Marlborough, did not meet the wants of the town. The public good required one through the centre, from Marlborough to the county line of Hillsborough. At a town-meeting, held May 16, 1785, an article was presented to see if the town " will petition the Quarter Sessions for a county road through the town of Jaffrey to the county line of Hillsborough, and act thereon as they
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of the town of Jaffrey, New Hampshire, from the date of the Masonian charter to the present time, 1749-18801881 · page 612Read the page →
Read the text
We find from the record that the church in Jaffrey was organized May 18, 1780, and that a committee from the town met Mr. Ainsworth on commencement day at Dartmouth, in 1 78 1, and engaged him to preach ; and he began the same summer. He was ordained the first minister in the town of Jaffrey, N. H., Dec. 10, 1782.
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
Jaffrey, 1773 to 1956
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
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.
In 1773, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Jaffrey’s post office opened in 1830, and the first U.S. census counted 1,235 people here in 1790.
How does Jaffrey rank for history?
Jaffrey is among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns, #3 of 126 in New Hampshire. 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 Jaffrey?
4 listings: 2 buildings and 2 historic districts, the Jaffrey Center Historic District and the East Jaffrey Historic District, with 34 contributing buildings. 170 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Jaffrey?
33% of Jaffrey’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.9 points), against a typical 17% for a New Hampshire town; the median home was built in 1973.
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 (12), the Library of Congress (6), the National Register of Historic Places (4), 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 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.
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