Wildwood dates to 1609, and 24% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 94% of U.S. towns · #41 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it
4 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district. Below: 11 old photos and papers, maps from 1888 on, and the census since 1900.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1883.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Wildwood’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Wildwood is more historic than 94% of U.S. towns, #41 of 468 in New Jersey. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Wildwood’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 Wildwood’s 11.7 sits above most of its state (71% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 6 historic buildings outnumber those of 72% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1609.
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 (±4.2 points).
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 Wildwood’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Wildwood was originally incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 1, 1895, from portions of Middle Township, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day. On January 1, 1912, Wildwood was incorporated as a city, replacing both Wildwood borough and Holly Beach City.
The Wildwoods began developing as a resort in the last decade of the 19th century. A building boom began in the 1950s, due partially to the construction and completion of the Garden State Parkway in 1955.
Passages that mention Wildwood, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The history of Cape May County, New Jersey1897 · page 389Read the page →
Read the text
On July 9, 1888, a postoffice was established at Avalon, a newly laid-out town on the north end of Seven-]\Iile Beach, and in September. 1889. one established at the new town of Wildwood on the centre portion of Five-]\Hle Beach. In June, 1890, the ofjfice at Marmora was opened. On September 5. 1S88, the people voted upon the question of "local option," or for and against the granting license for the sale of liquor as a beverage. The following
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Mayflower Pilgrim descendants in Cape May County, New Jersey1921 · page 35Read the page →
Read the text
Descendants of Priscilla Learning On the Sugar Company's property, facing Holly Beach, between Taylor's Creek and Wildwood bridge, beyond Bennett station, near Rio Grande, there is near the meadows, surrounded by the scrubby second growth, a grave and a stone bearing the inscription: — MARGARET LEAMING October 22nd, 1764
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.
By decade
Wildwood, decade by decade
3 decades in the archive, from the 1910s to the 1970s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
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.
In 1609, according to Wikidata. Wildwood’s post office opened in 1883, and the census of 1900 counted 150 people here.
How does Wildwood rank for history?
Wildwood is more historic than 94% of U.S. towns, #41 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 Wildwood?
4 listings: 3 buildings, among them the J. Thompson Baker House (listed 1996, the first), and 1 historic district, the Naval Air Station Wildwood Historic District,. 6 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Wildwood?
24% of Wildwood’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.2 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1976.
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 (18), the National Register of Historic Places (4), 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 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.
![On July 9, 1888, a postoffice was established at Avalon, a newly laid-out town on the north end of Seven-]\Iile Beach, and in September. 1889. one established at the new town of Wildwood on the centre portion of Five-]\Hle Beach. In June, 1890, the ofjfice at Marmora was opened. On September 5. 1S8…](https://images.townratings.com/story/11008/bk-c8aeed5f4ef39721-l.jpg)
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