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B−History
History · Hampton

Hampton dates to 1895, and 35% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 47% of U.S. towns. What drives it

Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1890 on, and the census since 1900.

1895founded
0on the National Register
35%homes built before 1940
3old photos & papers
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Hampton’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Hampton began

When was Hampton founded?

1895

Hampton dates its founding to 1895 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1900.

First census: 998 in 19002020 census: 1,438131 years

How historic is Hampton?

B−

More historic than 47% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1909.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Hampton’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Hampton is more historic than 47% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.

B−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Hampton’s overall grade.
Founding era1895, from Wikidata: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 194034.5% of homes (±6.9) · typical NJ town 14.7% · U.S. 8.4%ANational RegisterNo listings counted · typical NJ town 3.7 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 47%
NewerOlder

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 Hampton’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (12% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to B+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±6.9 points). Two sources give 1895.

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 Hampton’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 3 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18905 editions of the USGS map, 1890 to 1970. Watch Hampton change.Old housesHalf of Hampton’s homes were built before 1963.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Hampton’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Date a photo2 archive items have no date. Guess the decade.+2Retake an old view53658.BB#001--Land to be leased to Cent…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Hampton on the map, 1890 to 1970

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

Hampton on the 1890 USGS mapHampton on the 1905 USGS mapHampton on the 1943 USGS mapHampton on the 1954 USGS mapHampton on the 1970 USGS map1890High Bridge 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 Hampton.

The story

How Hampton came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Hampton.

Read it all →

What is now Hampton was originally incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature as Junction Borough on February 20, 1895, from portions of both Lebanon Township and Bethlehem Township, based on the results of a referendum held on the previous day. By a resolution of the borough council, the name was changed to Hampton as of February 11, 1909. In 1931, additional territory was annexed from both Glen Gardner and Bethlehem Township. As part of the 1931 settlement reached between the two municipalities to resolve a border dispute dating back to the borough of Glen Gardner's formation in 1919, Hampton paid Glen Gardner $4,000 (equivalent to $85,000 in 2025) for 20 acres (8.1 ha) of land that became part of the borough.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Hampton, 1890 to 1973

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1890On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  3. 1895
    FoundingHampton is established
  4. 1896Born hereGeorge F. Houston is born here
  5. 20th century
  6. 1903Born hereFrank L. Howley is born here
  7. 1909Post officeThe Hampton post office opens
  8. 1914In the archive53658.BB#001--Land to be leased to Central Railroad of New Jersey--Hampton, NJ [1914.06.0…
  9. 1973Born hereMatt Walton is born here
By decade

Hampton, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1910s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1910s1 item
53658.BB#001--Land to be leased to Central Railroad of New Jersey--Hampton, NJ [1914.06.06]191453658.BB#001--Land to be leased to Central Railroad o…
1920s–1990snothing yet
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.
Add from your album
Date unknown2 to date
Census Bureau map ofDate?Census Bureau map ofMapRoute 31 Bridge, New Jersey Route 31, crossing disused main line of Central Railroad of New Jersey (C.R.R.N.J.) (New Je…Date?Route 31 Bridge, New Jersey Route 31, crossing disuse…
Today6 recent
Musconetcong Valley Presbyterian Church, Hampton, NJ, Nov. 20242024Musconetcong Valley Presbyterian Church, Hampton, NJ,…Hampton, NJ borough park, Nov. 20242024Hampton, NJ borough park, Nov. 2024Hampton, NJ borough park entrance, Nov. 20242024Hampton, NJ borough park entrance, Nov. 2024Hampton, NJ borough hall and fire department, Nov. 20242024Hampton, NJ borough hall and fire department, Nov. 20…Hampton, NJ Veterans Park, Nov. 20242024Hampton, NJ Veterans Park, Nov. 2024Hampton 019 nj2005Hampton 019 nj
Every building

Hampton, building by building, 1909–1921

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.

Hampton fire insurance map, 1909, sheet 11909Sheet 1 of 4
Edition
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

53658.BB#001--Land to be leased to Central Railroad of New Jersey--Hampton, NJ [1914.06.06]
Retake this view53658.BB#001--Land to be leased to Central Railroad of New Jersey--Hampton, NJ [1914.06.06], 1914

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Hampton’s page.

Retake this view · +15
People over time

Hampton, census by census

02004006008001,0001,2001,4001,6001,8001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 1,614

Between 861 and 1,614 people in every census since 1900.

13 censuses, 1900–2020.

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

Famous people

3 famous people were born in Hampton

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Matt WaltonAmerican film actor · b. 1973
G
George F. HoustonAmerican actor and singer · b. 1896
Frank L. HowleyAmerican general · b. 1903
Places that used to be

Old corners and burying grounds

Hampton’s post office has been open since 1909.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Hampton Junction
2cemeteries and burying grounds inside Hampton
Musconetcong ValleySaint Anns Catholic Church

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Washington Township4 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townBethlehem TownshipIts storyBLebanon Township2 historic placesB−Glen Gardner1 historic placeB

Questions about Hampton’s history

What year was Hampton founded?

In 1895, according to Wikidata. Hampton’s post office opened in 1909, and the census of 1900 counted 998 people here.

How does Hampton rank for history?

Hampton is more historic than 47% of U.S. towns. 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.

How old are the homes in Hampton?

35% of Hampton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.9 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1963.

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).

From Wikimedia Commons (8), the Library of Congress (1), 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 Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.