Pitman dates to 1905, and 45% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 78% of U.S. towns · #130 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it
1 place in town is on the National Register, among them a historic district with 349 buildings. Below: 7 old photos and papers, maps from 1890 on, and the census since 1910.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1871.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Pitman’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Pitman is more historic than 78% of U.S. towns, #130 of 468 in New Jersey. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Pitman’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 Pitman’s 394 sits above most of its state (94% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 349 historic buildings outnumber those of 96% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.8 points). Two sources give 1905.
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 Pitman’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
In 1871, land was chosen in both Glassboro and Mantua Township to be set aside for a Methodist summer camp meeting. The New Jersey Conference Camp Meeting Association was officially chartered and given authority over the land grant in 1872, and began planning the campground and organizing meetings. The land had an auditorium located on a central meeting ground, and twelve roads originated from the central area as spokes on a wheel.
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.
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.
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.
In 1905, according to Wikidata. Pitman’s post office opened in 1871, and the census of 1910 counted 1,950 people here.
How does Pitman rank for history?
Pitman is more historic than 78% of U.S. towns, #130 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 Pitman?
One place: the Pitman Grove (listed 1977).
How old are the homes in Pitman?
45% of Pitman’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.8 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1945.
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 (16), the Library of Congress (1), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (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.
1916
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