Ossipee dates to 1785, and 16% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 72% of U.S. towns · #81 of 126 in New Hampshire. What drives it
Its Register listings are the Whittier Bridge, the Early Settlers Meeting House and the Carroll County Court House. Below: 11 old photos and papers, maps from 1928 on, and the census since 1790.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1798.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Ossipee’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Ossipee is more historic than 72% of U.S. towns, #81 of 126 in New Hampshire. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.
B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Ossipee’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 Ossipee’s 6.6 sits near the middle of its state (40% of New Hampshire towns have fewer) while its 3 listings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1785.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.8 points).
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 Ossipee’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Originally known as "Wigwam Village", and then "New Garden", the town was named for the Ossipee Indians, one of the twelve Algonquian tribes. It was once the site of an Indian stockade fort, designed to protect the tribe from the Mohawks in the west. In 1725, the Indian stockade was destroyed, and then rebuilt by Captain John Lovewell. The new fort was one of the largest in New England. The fort was located where the second green of Indian Mound Golf now is. Wood, ramrods and the brass bolt used for the gate were discovered when the course was built. On February 22, 1785, the legislature incorporated Ossipee as a town.
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.
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 1785, according to Wikidata. Ossipee’s post office opened in 1798, and the first U.S. census counted 339 people here in 1790.
How does Ossipee rank for history?
Ossipee is more historic than 72% of U.S. towns, #81 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 Ossipee?
Three places: the Whittier Bridge (listed 1984), the Early Settlers Meeting House (1995) and the Carroll County Court House (2007).
How old are the homes in Ossipee?
16% of Ossipee’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.8 points), against a typical 17% for a New Hampshire town; the median home was built in 1979.
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 (23), the National Register of Historic Places (3), 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.
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