Alexandria Township dates to 1765, and 20% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 96% of U.S. towns · #27 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it
5 places in town are on the National Register, among them three historic districts with 90 buildings between them. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1890 on, and the census since 1790.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Alexandria Township is more historic than 96% of U.S. towns, #27 of 468 in New Jersey. 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 Alexandria Township’s overall grade.
New Jersey towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical New Jersey town has 3.7 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Alexandria Township’s 191 sits above most of its state (91% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 92 historic buildings outnumber those of 89% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1765.
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 (±8.7 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 Alexandria Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Lost two-thirds of its people between 1860 and 1920, then grew 5-fold.
23 censuses, 1790–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Alexandria Township’s Wikipedia page.
On the map
Alexandria Township on the map, 1890 to 1994
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Alexandria Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1890Easton 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 Alexandria Township.
The story so far
Alexandria Township, in brief
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Alexandria Township yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Alexandria Township is a township in Hunterdon County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 4,809, a decrease of 129 (−2.6%) from the 2010 census count of 4,938, which in turn reflected an increase of 240 (+5.1%) from the 4,698 counted in the 2000 census. Alexandria was formed by Royal charter on March 5, 1765, from portions of Bethlehem Township, and was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Frenchtown (April 4, 1867) and Holland Township (April 13, 1874, restored to Alexandria on March 4, 1878, and recr…
Alexandria Township was established in 1765. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 4,938 to 4,809 (-3%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
Timeline
Alexandria Township, 1765 to 2010
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
In 1765, according to Wikidata. Alexandria Township’s post office opened in 1825, and the first U.S. census counted 1,503 people here in 1790.
How does Alexandria Township rank for history?
Alexandria Township is more historic than 96% of U.S. towns, #27 of 468 in New Jersey. 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 Alexandria Township?
5 listings: 2 buildings and 3 historic districts, the Delaware and Raritan Canal, the Everittstown Historic District and the Mount Pleasant Historic District, with 90 contributing buildings. 92 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Alexandria Township?
20% of Alexandria Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±8.7 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1985.
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 (7), Wikidata (5), the National Register of Historic Places (5), 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.
Date?
2025
2025
2022
2007
2005
