Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Medford Lakes

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
B−History
History · Medford Lakes

Medford Lakes dates to 1939, and 18% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 45% of U.S. towns · #334 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it

Its Register listings are the St. Mary of the Lakes Catholic Church, the Protestant Community Church of Medford Lakes, The and the Log Cabin Lodge. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1888 on, and the census since 1940.

1939founded
3on the National Register
18%homes built before 1940
1old photo or paper
1famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Medford Lakes began

When was Medford Lakes founded?

1939

Medford Lakes dates its founding to 1939 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1940.

First census: 137 in 19402020 census: 4,26487 years

How historic is Medford Lakes?

B−

More historic than 45% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Medford Lakes’ History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Medford Lakes is more historic than 45% of U.S. towns, #334 of 468 in New Jersey. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.

B−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Medford Lakes’ overall grade.
Founding era1939, from Wikidata: founded 1900–1944, an older era than 9% of U.S. townsDHomes built before 194018.3% of homes (±7.4) · typical NJ town 14.7% · U.S. 8.4%B+National Register3 listings, 7.0 per 10,000 residents · typical NJ town 3.7 · U.S. 2.4B
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 45%
NewerOlder
New Jersey towns of 2,500+ (468)Ahead of 29%

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 Medford Lakes’ 7.0 sits near the middle of its state (63% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 3 listings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to B+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±7.4 points). Two sources give 1939.

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 Medford Lakes’ past

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

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 1 old photo is in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18886 editions of the USGS map, 1888 to 1981. Watch Medford Lakes change.Old housesHalf of Medford Lakes’ homes were built before 1960.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Medford Lakes’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Date a photo1 archive item has no date. Guess the decade.+2Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Medford Lakes on the map, 1888 to 1981

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

Medford Lakes on the 1888 USGS mapMedford Lakes on the 1894 USGS mapMedford Lakes on the 1942 USGS mapMedford Lakes on the 1953 USGS mapMedford Lakes on the 1967 USGS mapMedford Lakes on the 1981 USGS map1888Mount Holly 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 Medford Lakes.

The story

How Medford Lakes came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Medford Lakes.

Read it all →

Prior to European colonization, the area now known as Medford Lakes was inhabited by the Lenni-Lenape people, who utilized the region's abundant natural resources, including its water bodies and forests, for survival and shelter.

European influence in the area began in the 17th century following English control over former Dutch territories. However, permanent European settlement did not commence until the 18th century. During this period, the region—characterized by its fertile soil and extensive forestland—remained sparsely populated and was primarily used for agriculture and lumbering activities.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Medford Lakes, 1888 to 1965

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1888On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  3. 20th century
  4. 1931BuiltProtestant Community Church of Medford Lakes, The is built
  5. 1939
    FoundingMedford Lakes is established
  6. 1965Born hereGregg Rakoczy is born here
By decade

Medford Lakes, decade by decade

Date unknown1 to date
Census Bureau map ofDate?Census Bureau map ofMap
Today9 recent
Medford Lakes Country Club, Medford Lakes, NJ, Aug. 20262026Medford Lakes Country Club, Medford Lakes, NJ, Aug. 2…Medford Lakes, NJ Municipal Cabin, March 20252025Medford Lakes, NJ Municipal Cabin, March 2025Medford Lakes, NJ Fire Department, March 20252025Medford Lakes, NJ Fire Department, March 2025Lake Mishe-Mokwa, Medford Lakes, NJ, March 20252025Lake Mishe-Mokwa, Medford Lakes, NJ, March 2025Medford Lakes, NJ2016Medford Lakes, NJST. MARY OF THE LAKES, BURLINGTON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY2013ST. MARY OF THE LAKES, BURLINGTON COUNTY, NEW JERSEYSITE OF THE LOG CABIN LODGE OR SETTLER'S INN, BURLINGTON COUNTY, NJ2013SITE OF THE LOG CABIN LODGE OR SETTLER'S INN, BURLING…A Wild Bird Oasis store front2012A Wild Bird Oasis store frontMap of Burlington County highlighting2004Map of Burlington County highlightingMap
On the National Register

3 historic places in Medford Lakes

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
3
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
3
each building in a district counts
first listed
1982
Log Cabin Lodge
St. Mary of the Lakes Catholic ChurchProtestant Community Church of Medford Lakes, The, built 1931Log Cabin Lodge
Buildings
St. Mary of the Lakes Catholic ChurchBuilding
Protestant Community Church of Medford Lakes, TheBuilt 1931
All 3 listings
Log Cabin LodgeBuilding · listed 1982

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

Medford Lakes, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0004,5005,0005,50019401960198020002020Peak: 4,958

Between 137 and 4,958 people in every census since 1940.

9 censuses, 1940–2020.

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

Questions about Medford Lakes’ history

What year was Medford Lakes founded?

In 1939, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1940 counted 137 people here.

How does Medford Lakes rank for history?

Medford Lakes is more historic than 45% of U.S. towns, #334 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 Medford Lakes?

Three places: the St. Mary of the Lakes Catholic Church (listed 2007), the Protestant Community Church of Medford Lakes, The (2017) and the Log Cabin Lodge (1982).

How old are the homes in Medford Lakes?

18% of Medford Lakes’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.4 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1960.

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 (10), Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps and U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.