Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 95% of U.S. towns · #140 of 758 in New York. What drives it
3 places in town are on the National Register. Below: 6 old photos and papers, maps from 1884 on, and the census since 1880.
Ellenville dates its founding to 1805 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1880.
More historic than 95% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Ellenville is more historic than 95% of U.S. towns, #140 of 758 in New York. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its share of homes from before 1940 ranks highest and its age lowest.
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 Ellenville’s 133 sits above most of its state (79% of New York towns have fewer) while its 56 historic buildings outnumber those of 86% of U.S. towns.
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 →
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
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.
1884Sheet 1 of 4Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Ellenville. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Ellenville.
From Wikipedia’s history of Ellenville.
The area was originally called "Socconessing" by the first inhabitants, the Esopus Munsee of the Lenape. Socconessing means "a muddy place where the water comes out", referencing the Sandburg Creek. The Esopus lived in this area for thousands of years before being pushed out by the early pioneers.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Ellenville, cut from the printed page as they were published.
west. The cast drains the tract known as Drowned Lands, and the west the section of the town in the vicinity of Greenfield. The two branches unite a mile or more before reaching Ellenville, and the junction of the Beer Kill with the Sandburg is just south of Ellenville. The Fantinc Kill, a separate stream, unites with the Sandburg just north of Ellenville. This village is thus practically bounded on three sides by streams, or intersected by them. The second,
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
On May 2, 1847, he was promoted to priest's orders at St. George's Church, Newburgh, and became rector of the parish. His missionary labors were extended to Milton, Lloyd, Stone Ridge and Ellenville, generally jonrneying on foot from place to place. In 1850 he organized the church at Milton; in 1853, the church at Ellenville. He also had charge of the Stone Ridge church, preaching at each one a Sunday of each month,
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
resorts. A large sanitarium for invalids is located on the west slope of the Shawangunk mountain, near Kerhonkson. The population of Wawarsing in 1905 was 7,215, showing a loss of nearly 1,000 in twenty-five years. Ellenville (incorporated) is the leading village, with 2,872 inhabitants, two banks, the First National and the Home National, the latter established in 1873, also the Ellenville Savings Bank, established in
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Mr. Booth served as President of the Village of Ellenville for three terms, and has been Trustee of the village for eleven years. He is connected with the Episcopal Church, Masonic Brotherhood and the K. of P. He is a very practical and energetic manager of one of the most important industries of the county, as well as being one of the most highly regarded and influential citizens of his adopted town.
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.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Born hereWilliam E. Cleary is born here
In the archiveViews of Ellenville and Vicinity
In the archiveBeers Ulster County Atlas Page009
In the archiveEllenville, N.Y. 1887
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
Born hereJoseph Y. Resnick is born here3 decades in the archive, from the 1860s to the 1880s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Ellenville’s page.
Retake this view · +15The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Between 2,750 and 5,003 people in every census since 1880.
15 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Ellenville’s Wikipedia page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1805, according to Wikidata. Ellenville’s post office opened in 1823, and the census of 1880 counted 2,750 people here.
Ellenville is more historic than 95% of U.S. towns, #140 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.
41% of Ellenville’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±15.0 points), against a typical 27% for a New York town; the median home was built in 1950.
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
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 (4), the Library of Congress (2), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), 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.
1860
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1875