Wakefield dates to 1774, and 12% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 90% of U.S. towns · #40 of 126 in New Hampshire. What drives it
9 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 38 buildings. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1928 on, and the census since 1790.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1805.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Wakefield’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Wakefield is more historic than 90% of U.S. towns, #40 of 126 in New Hampshire. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Wakefield’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 Wakefield’s 98.1 sits above most of its state (83% of New Hampshire towns have fewer) while its 53 historic buildings outnumber those of 85% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1774.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.3 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 Wakefield’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Initially a native settlement, Wakefield was attacked by John Lovewell during Father Rale's War. Settled later by colonists from Dover and Somersworth, the town was granted in 1749 by John Mason. It was called "East Town" before being incorporated as Wakefield in 1774 by Governor John Wentworth. Wakefield, in Yorkshire, England, is near Wentworth Castle, the home of the Wentworth ancestors.
The New Hampshire town developed as an important sledge and stage stop between the seacoast and the White Mountains. The Wakefield Inn, built in 1804 beside the principal trade route through Wakefield Corner, remains operating today.
Passages that mention Wakefield, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Carroll County, New Hampshire1889 · page 188Read the page →
Read the text
FIRST CHURCH. — September 22, 1885, was celebrated the one hundredth anniversary of the organization of the First Church and ordination of the first settled minister, Asa Piper, of the town of Wakefield. At this time the history of the church was given substantially as follows: The church was made up of nine members ; five were the men and four the women, making a beautiful picture of these homes consecrated to God by the united love of both the partners. No church could have a better start, no community be blessed more richly, than in a church made up of consecrated
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Carroll County, New Hampshire1889 · page 162Read the page →
Read the text
Wakefield was incorporated August 30, 1774, by its present name by Governor John Wentworth ; prior to this time it was called East Town, under a grant from the Masonian Proprietors. By act of the legislature approved June 22, 1820, a gore of land, containing all that belonged to Wakefield on tin: northerly side of Province pond, was severed from this town and annexed to Effingham. June 23, 1858, an act was passed severing a tract of land from
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
Wakefield, 1774 to 1976
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 1774, according to Wikidata. Wakefield’s post office opened in 1805, and the first U.S. census counted 646 people here in 1790.
How does Wakefield rank for history?
Wakefield is more historic than 90% of U.S. towns, #40 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 Wakefield?
9 listings: 8 buildings, among them the District No. 2 Schoolhouse (listed 1980, the first), and 1 historic district, the Wakefield Village Historic District, with 38 contributing buildings. 53 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Wakefield?
12% of Wakefield’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.3 points), against a typical 17% for a New Hampshire town; the median home was built in 1980.
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 (11), Wikidata (7), the National Register of Historic Places (9), 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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