Princeton dates to 1700, and 23% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 96% of U.S. towns · #31 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it
20 places in town are on the National Register, among them 9 National Historic Landmarks and six historic districts with 67 buildings between them. Below: 16 old photos and papers, maps from 1885 on, and old-book passages.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Princeton is more historic than 96% of U.S. towns, #31 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 Princeton’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 Princeton’s 27.3 sits above most of its state (77% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 84 historic buildings outnumber those of 88% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1700.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. The pre-1940 share (±2.3 points) is firm at this size.
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 Princeton’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. 9 are National Historic Landmarks, the highest tier. Boundary changes and added documentation are counted with their listing.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
On the map
Princeton on the map, 1888 to 1995
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Princeton. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1888Princeton 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 Princeton.
Every building
Princeton, 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.
The Lenape Native Americans were the earliest identifiable inhabitants of the Princeton area.
Europeans settled into the area in the late part of the 17th century, arriving from Delaware to settle West Jersey, and from New York to settle East Jersey, with the site destined to become Princeton being amid the wilderness between these two boroughs. The first European to find his home in the boundaries of the future municipality was Henry Greenland. He built his house in 1683 along with a tavern, where representatives of West and East Jersey met to set the boundaries between the two provinces. Greenland's son-in-law Daniel Brimson inhabited the area by 1690, and left property in a will dated 1696.
After the Resolute game, Princeton had neglected practise, and when Lafayette sent its team to Princeton, on June 7, Princeton allowed them to score six runs in the first inning before a single man was put out But the playing of the Princeton nine improved with each inning and the final score was 26-11 in Princeton's favor.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Early in the season Princeton accepted Harvard's challenge to play for two years, the first game at Princeton, the second at Cambridge. There were two sets of rules for 1895, one used by Princeton and Yale, and the other by Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania. But as both Princeton and Harvard were anxious to play, a compromise was speedily arranged: by which six men were allowed behind the line in accordance with the Harvard rules, but no one was allowed to start before the ball was put in play.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Princeton, 1700 to 1971
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born 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.
Princeton is more historic than 96% of U.S. towns, #31 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 Princeton?
20 listings, 9 of them National Historic Landmarks: 13 buildings, among them the Grover Cleveland Home (a National Historic Landmark since 1965), 6 historic districts with 67 contributing buildings, and 1 site. 84 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Princeton?
23% of Princeton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.3 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1965.
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), the Library of Congress (6), Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (20), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, 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.
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1783
c. 1790
c. 1854
1875
1875
1875
1878
1880
1880
1880
