Duanesburg’s post office opened in 1801, and 22% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 93% of U.S. towns · #203 of 758 in New York. What drives it
36 places in town are on the National Register, among them the Delanson Historic District, a National Historic Landmark, and five historic districts with 116 buildings between them. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1895 on, and the census since 1820.
The Duanesburg post office opened in 1801, the earliest record of the town by name. Three smaller post offices, Eaton Corners (1825), Braman Corners (1837) and Mariaville (1839), opened inside today’s town and later closed.
First census: 3,510 in 18202020 census: 5,863225 years
How historic is Duanesburg?
A
More historic than 93% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: the first Duanesburg post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Duanesburg’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Duanesburg is more historic than 93% of U.S. towns, #203 of 758 in New York. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Duanesburg’s overall grade.
New York towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical New York town has 12.3 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Duanesburg’s 399 sits above most of its state (89% of New York towns have fewer) while its 243 historic buildings outnumber those of 94% 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 (±5.7 points). The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date.
Founding year: the first post office (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 Duanesburg’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Originally known as Duanes' Bush, Duanesburg was established as a township by patent on March 13, 1765. According to Documentary History of New York Vol. lV, pg. 1067, "Mr. Duane entered in March, 1765 into contract with a company of twenty Germans from Pennsylvania of whom about sixteen (families) came on tract, and they made the first permanent settlement in that now flourishing town". The township was combined with Schoharie, New York, as the United Districts of Schoharie and Duanesburg on March 24, 1772, which became the town of Schoharie in 1788. Duanesburg became its own town once again in 1789.
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.
The Duanesburg post office opened in 1801, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does Duanesburg rank for history?
Duanesburg is more historic than 93% of U.S. towns, #203 of 758 in New York. 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 Duanesburg?
36 listings: 31 buildings and 5 historic districts with 116 contributing buildings. 243 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Duanesburg?
22% of Duanesburg’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.7 points), against a typical 27% for a New York town; the median home was built in 1972.
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 (9), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (36), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
★ Landmark
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