Morristown dates to 1715, and 24% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 98% of U.S. towns · #17 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it
17 places in town are on the National Register, among them 2 National Historic Landmarks and two historic districts with 412 buildings between them. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1885 on, and the census since 1880.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Morristown’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Morristown is more historic than 98% of U.S. towns, #17 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 Morristown’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 Morristown’s 212 sits above most of its state (92% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 433 historic buildings outnumber those of 97% of U.S. towns.
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 (±3.2 points). Two sources give 1715.
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 Morristown’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. 2 are National Historic Landmarks, the highest tier. Boundary changes and added documentation are counted with their listing.
Present-day Morristown was initially inhabited by the Lenni Lenape Native Americans for up to 6,000 years prior to exploration of Europeans. The first European settlements in this portion of New Jersey were established by Sweden and the Netherlands in the early 17th century, when significant trade in furs existed between the natives and the Europeans at temporary posts. It became part New Netherland, a Dutch colony, but the English seized control of the region in 1664, which was granted to Sir George Carteret and John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton, and named the Province of New Jersey.
Passages that mention Morristown, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Morris County, New Jersey1882 · page 70Read the page →
Read the text
at the outset no idea of its ever being a " through road " across the State, or of the immense traffic of the present day ever passing over it. The engines were small and two sufficed to do the work. The depot at Morristown was on De Hart street, the railroad approaching it through the present Maple avenue — formerly called Railroad avenue and, before the time of the railroad, Canfield street. At Newark the cars were hauled from the depot
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Outside of the village of Morristown was a somewhat populous farming district. The village itself was chiefly grouped about what has been known as the Green ; but as regards its area, as well also as its appearance, the Green of Revolutionary days was very different from the Green of the year 1905. The Morristown Green of the present day contains about two and a half acres of land, and is finely graded, and laid out in
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The camping grounds, 'is already stated by the quartermaster-general, were "about four miles" from Morristown, in a southwesterly direction. Access from the village of Morristown to the locality chosen was over the course of two roads, the Jockey Hollow road, then commencing at the southwestern corner of the Green, and the Basking Ridge road, then commencing a little southwest of the lower side of the
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
A history of Morris County, New Jersey1914 · page 237Read the page →
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Morristown. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1888Morristown 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 Morristown.
Every building
Morristown, building by building, 1885–1918
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.
Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Questions about Morristown’s history
What year was Morristown founded?
In 1715, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1880 counted 5,418 people here.
How does Morristown rank for history?
Morristown is more historic than 98% of U.S. towns, #17 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 Morristown?
17 listings, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks: 15 buildings, among them the Thomas Nast Home (a National Historic Landmark since 1964), and 2 historic districts, the Morristown District and the Morristown Historic District, with 412 contributing buildings. 433 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Morristown?
24% of Morristown’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.2 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1970.
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 (2), Wikidata (4), the National Register of Historic Places (17), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) 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.
★ Landmark
