The story
Read it all →How Farnham came to be
From Wikipedia’s history of Farnham.
The Village of Farnham was incorporated in 1892, having been built up around the Lake Shore Railroad.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
–Not graded
History · Farnham
Farnham’s post office opened in 1855, and 74% of its homes were built before 1940
Below: maps from 1899 on and the census since 1900.
1855first post office
0on the National Register
74%homes built before 1940
Quick answers
How Farnham began
When was Farnham founded?
1855
The Farnham post office opened in 1855, the earliest record of the town by name.
First census: 262 in 19002020 census: 381171 years
Founding year: the first Farnham post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓
What stands out about Farnham’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Farnham are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18993 editions of the USGS map, 1899 to 1960. Watch Farnham change.Old housesHalf of Farnham’s homes were built before 1938.Boom and bustPeaked at 546 in 1970; 381 people lived here in 2020.
★ What stands out · Help out
Start Farnham’s collection
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Farnham’s history is told.
Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.On the map
Farnham on the map, 1899 to 1960
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Farnham. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1899Silver Creek sheet · 1:62,500U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Farnham.
By decade
Farnham, decade by decade
2021
2015
2011
2006People over time
Farnham, census by census
Peaked at 546 in 1970; 381 people lived here in 2020.
13 censuses, 1900–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Farnham’s Wikipedia page.
Famous people
See all →Famous people close to Farnham
Nobody well known was born in Farnham itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
Questions about Farnham’s history
What year was Farnham founded?
The Farnham post office opened in 1855, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
Memory lane
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
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). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (4), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps and U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.