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History · Orange

Orange dates to 1790, and 22% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1927 on and the census since 1790.

1790founded
0on the National Register
22%homes built before 1940
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Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers

How Orange began

When was Orange founded?

1790

Orange dates its founding to 1790 (Wikidata). It appears in the first U.S. census, 1790.

First census: 131 in 17902020 census: 277236 years
Founding year: Wikidata.The full story ↓

What stands out about Orange’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 Orange are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Shrank, then grewLost two-thirds of its people between 1840 and 1950, then grew 3-fold.Deep rootsEstablished in 1790: 236 years of Orange.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Orange’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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People over time

Orange, census by census

010020030040050018001850190019502000463 in 1840Low: 82

Lost two-thirds of its people between 1840 and 1950, then grew 3-fold.

24 censuses, 1790–2020.

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

Timeline

Orange, 1790 to 1927

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

  1. 18th century
  2. 1790
    FoundingOrange is established
  3. 19th century
  4. 1840CensusPopulation peaks at 463
  5. 20th century
  6. 1927On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
The story

How Orange came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Orange.

Read it all →

Orange was granted in 1769 and incorporated in 1790. It was originally named "Cardigan", after George Brudenell, fourth Earl of Cardigan. The Cardigan name lives on with Mount Cardigan and Cardigan Mountain State Park. After the American Revolution, voters attempted to rename the town "Bradford", "Middletown", "Liscomb", and finally "Orange". The large quantities of yellow-orange ochre found in Mount Cardigan may have been the source of the name Orange.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Orange in 1904

Passages that mention Orange, cut from the printed page as they were published.

Smith. He labored one-half the time at Alexandria from 1837 till 1853, and had pastoral oversight of the church for thirtyseven years. During his labors there, 160 were added to the church. He also labored successfully in Nashua, Orange, Center Harbor, New Hampton, Hill, and Bridgewater. He represe…
History of the town of Bristol, Grafton County, New Hampshire1904Read the page →
Read the text

Smith. He labored one-half the time at Alexandria from 1837 till 1853, and had pastoral oversight of the church for thirtyseven years. During his labors there, 160 were added to the church. He also labored successfully in Nashua, Orange, Center Harbor, New Hampton, Hill, and Bridgewater. He represented Bristol in the legislature of 1847 and 1848. In May, 1867, he accepted a call to the pastorate of the Free Baptist church at Eaton, where a revival of religion was very

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.

By decade

Orange, decade by decade

Today12 recent
Orange Town House2017Orange Town HouseView west-southwest from Mt. Cardigan2011View west-southwest from Mt. CardiganView southwest from Mt. Cardigan2011View southwest from Mt. CardiganView Southeast2011View SoutheastView North-Northeast, towards Presidential range2011View North-Northeast, towards Presidential rangeUnder canopy2011Under canopyTimberline2011TimberlineThe summit rock and a view of Presidential range North-Northeast2011The summit rock and a view of Presidential range Nort…Newfound lake 10km to the East2011Newfound lake 10km to the EastNear the top, looking North-Nortwest2011Near the top, looking North-NortwestNear the top, looking North2011Near the top, looking NorthCairns mark the way down, back to Canaan town2011Cairns mark the way down, back to Canaan town
On the map

Orange on the map, 1927 to 1998

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

Orange on the 1927 USGS mapOrange on the 1930 USGS mapOrange on the 1956 USGS mapOrange on the 1987 USGS mapOrange on the 1998 USGS map1927Cardigan 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 Orange.

Famous people

Famous people close to Orange

Nobody well known was born in Orange itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
V
Victor AmbrosAmerican developmental biologist · b. 1953
George WhippleAmerican physician and biomedical researcher · b. 1878
John PerkinsAmerican author · b. 1945
Sherburne Wesley BurnhamAmerican astronomer · b. 1838
Charlie ClouserAmerican musician · b. 1963
Hannah KearneyFreestyle skier · b. 1986
Stories next door

History across the town line

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

AlexandriaIts storyC+Canaan2 historic placesA+GraftonIts storyB+GrotonIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townDorchester2 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Orange’s history

What year was Orange founded?

In 1790, according to Wikidata. the first U.S. census counted 131 people here in 1790.

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 (12), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), 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.