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A−History
History · Eden

Eden dates to 1812, and 27% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 78% of U.S. towns · #451 of 758 in New York. What drives it

Its Register listing is the Lustron House Westchester Deluxe Model M02 #01310. Below: 20 old photos and papers, maps from 1905 on, and the census since 1820.

1812founded
1on the National Register
27%homes built before 1940
20old photos & papers
5famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Eden’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Eden began

When was Eden founded?

1812

Eden dates its founding to 1812 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1820.

First census: 1,065 in 18202020 census: 7,573214 years

How historic is Eden?

A−

More historic than 78% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1820.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Eden’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Eden is more historic than 78% of U.S. towns, #451 of 758 in New York. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Eden’s overall grade.
Founding era1812, from Wikidata: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 194026.7% of homes (±5.0) · typical NY town 26.6% · U.S. 8.4%A−National Register1 listing, 2 historic buildings, 2.7 per 10,000 residents · typical NY town 12.3 · U.S. 2.4C+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 78%
NewerOlder
New York towns of 2,500+ (758)Ahead of 41%

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 Eden’s 2.7 sits below most of its state (27% of New York towns have fewer) while its 2 historic buildings outnumber those of 60% 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 (±5.0 points). Two sources give 1812.

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 Eden’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

Lost villages3 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Eden, and 3 old place names are still on the map.A town in old photos20 old photos, postcards and papers, 1866–1946.On the map since 19053 editions of the USGS map, 1905 to 1965. Watch Eden change.Deep rootsEstablished in 1812: 214 years of Eden.
★ What stands out · Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners and burying grounds

Eden’s post office has been open since 1820. Three other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Eden
1820–today
Eden Valley
1850–1909
Clarksburg
1851–1903
East Eden
1851–1908
18201920today
Hamlets and corners on the map
ClarksburgEast EdenEden Valley
3cemeteries and burying grounds inside Eden
EvergreenMols HillNorth Evans

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

By decade

Eden, decade by decade

3 decades in the archive, from the 1860s to the 1940s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1860s–1880s4 items
Eden Valley (Village); Eden Valley Business Directory; East Eden Business Directory; East Eden (Village); Eden (Townshi…1866Eden Valley (Village); Eden Valley Business Directory…Eden (Township)1880Eden (Township)Eden Center (Village); Eden Valley (Village)1880Eden Center (Village); Eden Valley (Village)Res. of L.S. Morsman, Derby. Erie Co, N.Y.; Erie Preserving Company Brant, N.Y. B, Fenton, Presr.; Res. of Stephen Benn…1880Res. of L.S. Morsman, Derby. Erie Co, N.Y.; Erie Pres…
1890s–1930snothing yet
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.
Add from your album
1940s16 items
Harold Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a133211946Harold Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a…Harold Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a133221946Harold Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a…Harold Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a133231946Harold Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a…Harold Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a133241946Harold Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a…Harold Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a133251946Harold Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a…Harold Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a133261946Harold Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a…Harold Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a133271946Harold Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a…Harold Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a133281946Harold Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a…Mrs. Walter Feasley, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a133191946Mrs. Walter Feasley, residence in Eden, New York. LOC…Mrs. Walter Feasley, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a133201946Mrs. Walter Feasley, residence in Eden, New York. LOC…Mrs. Walter Feasley, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a176541946Mrs. Walter Feasley, residence in Eden, New York. LOC…Mrs. Walter Feasley, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a176551946Mrs. Walter Feasley, residence in Eden, New York. LOC…Walter Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a133291946Walter Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a…Walter Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a133301946Walter Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a…Walter Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a133321946Walter Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a…Walter Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a133331946Walter Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a…
1950s–1990snothing yet
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.
Add from your album
Today20 recent
Eden New York Lustron Home2025Eden New York Lustron HomeEden NY welcome sign 2025-09-05 12-43-362025Eden NY welcome sign 2025-09-05 12-43-36Lustron House2024Lustron HouseGrover L. Preiss Primary School2020Grover L. Preiss Primary SchoolEden Center Depot2020Eden Center DepotClarksburg NY2020Clarksburg NYUS Route 62 - New York2009US Route 62 - New YorkEden, New York2009Eden, New YorkEden, New York2009Eden, New YorkEden, New York2009Eden, New YorkEden, New York2009Eden, New YorkEden, New York2009Eden, New YorkEden, New York2009Eden, New YorkEden, New York2009Eden, New YorkEden, New York2009Eden, New YorkEden, New York2009Eden, New YorkEden, New York2009Eden, New YorkEden, New York2009Eden, New YorkEden, New York2009Eden, New YorkErie-Eden2006Erie-Eden
On the map

Eden on the map, 1905 to 1965

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Eden. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Eden on the 1905 USGS mapEden on the 1949 USGS mapEden on the 1965 USGS map1905Eden 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 Eden.

The story

How Eden came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Eden.

Read it all →

The first settler, Samuel Tubbs, arrived in 1808 along with John Welch, Dr. John March, Levi Bunting and Daniel Webster. The town of Eden was established in 1812 by the partition of the (now defunct) town of Willink. Later, Eden gave up territory to form the towns of Evans and Boston. The town was called "Hill's Corners" until 1822.

A factory in Eden, the Original American Kazoo Company, was established in 1916 and currently remains the only metal Kazoo factory in North America. Located along Route 62, the factory contains a gift shop, as well as a museum that shows its history, and step by step Kazoo assembly.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Eden, 1812 to 1993

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1812
    FoundingEden is established
  3. 1820Post officeThe Eden post office opens
  4. 1839Born hereRobert C. Titus is born here
  5. 1844Born hereThomas L. Bunting is born here
  6. 1850Post officeThe Eden Valley post office opens
  7. 1851Post officeThe Clarksburg post office opens
  8. 1866In the archiveEden Valley (Village); Eden Valley Business Directory; East Eden Business Directory; East…
  9. 1880In the archiveEden (Township)
  10. 20th century
  11. 1903Post officeThe Clarksburg post office closes
  12. 1905On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  13. 1909Post officeThe Eden Valley post office closes
  14. 1946In the archiveHarold Henry, residence in Eden, New York. LOC gsc.5a13321
  15. 1993Born hereAlex Iafallo is born here
Every building

Eden, building by building, 1913

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 sheet.

Eden fire insurance map, 1913, sheet 11913Sheet 1 of 3
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Eden Valley (Village); Eden Valley Business Directory; East Eden Business Directory; East Eden (Village); Eden (Townshi…
Retake this viewEden Valley (Village); Eden Valley Business Directory; East Eden Business Directory; East Eden (Village); Eden (Townshi…, 1866

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Eden’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

1 historic place in Eden

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
2
each building in a district counts
first listed
2023
Lustron House Westchester Deluxe Model M02 #013…
Lustron House Westchester Deluxe Model M02 #01310
Buildings
All 1 listings
Lustron House Westchester Deluxe Model M02 #01310Building · listed 2023

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

Eden, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,0001850190019502000Peak: 8,076

Between 1,065 and 8,076 people in every census since 1820.

21 censuses, 1820–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Eden’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

5 famous people were born in Eden

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Alex IafalloAmerican professional ice hockey forward · b. 1993
Robert C. TitusNew York politician and judge · b. 1839
Thomas L. BuntingAmerican politician · b. 1844
A
Amy HoweAmerican technology executive
B
Bert WeidnerAmerican football player · b. 1966
Help out

Finish Eden’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewEden Valley (Village); Eden Valley Busi…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Evans4 historic placesA−Hamburg2 historic placesA−North Collins1 historic placeBBostonIts storyB−BrantIts storyB+

Questions about Eden’s history

What year was Eden founded?

In 1812, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Eden’s post office opened in 1820, and the census of 1820 counted 1,065 people here.

How does Eden rank for history?

Eden is more historic than 78% of U.S. towns, #451 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 Eden?

One place: the Lustron House Westchester Deluxe Model M02 #01310 (listed 2023).

How old are the homes in Eden?

27% of Eden’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.0 points), against a typical 27% for a New York town; the median home was built in 1960.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

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 (40), 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.