Jamestown dates to 1810, and 58% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 98% of U.S. towns · #54 of 758 in New York. What drives it
11 places in town are on the National Register, among them three historic districts with 602 buildings between them. Below: 12 old photos and papers, maps from 1886 on, and the census since 1860.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1816.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Jamestown’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Jamestown is more historic than 98% of U.S. towns, #54 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.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Jamestown’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 Jamestown’s 217 sits above most of its state (83% of New York towns have fewer) while its 613 historic buildings outnumber those of 98% 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 (±3.0 points). Two sources give 1810.
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 Jamestown’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Jamestown is named after James Prendergast, an early Chautauqua County settler. His family purchased 3,500 acres (14 km2) in 1806 in the area now known as Chautauqua County. James Prendergast explored the area that is now Jamestown. and saw the area to be valuable, and so he purchased an additional 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) of land in the area in 1808. In the fall of 1809, Prendergast and an employee, John Blowers, built a log cabin, which became the first building in Jamestown. Another log cabin, as well as mills and a dam, were built on the Chadakoin River later on. In 1855, a night watch was created for the purpose of looking out for fires.
Peaked at 45,155 in 1930; 28,712 people lived here in 2020.
17 censuses, 1860–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Jamestown’s Wikipedia page.
From the old history books
What they wrote about Jamestown, 1902–1910
Passages that mention Jamestown, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Jamestown [1607-1907] a sketch of the history and present condition of the site of the first permanent English settlement in America1902 · page 30Read the page →
Read the text
As the fate of ancient Troy was summed up in the two words, "Troja fuit," so we may say of Jamestown the city, "Jamestown was." But historic Jamestown is, and lives mightily to-day in the hearts of the American people, in the institutions of their government, in the civilization of a hemisphere. Jamestown City lies buried in Jamestown Island. Let a grateful and reverent Nation, through its Congress, say to the surrounding
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Jamestown [1607-1907] a sketch of the history and present condition of the site of the first permanent English settlement in America1902 · page 22Read the page →
Read the text
In 1 781 Cornwallis' last fight, before he took his final and fatal stand at Yorktown, was at Jamestown Ford. Lafayette and Wayne, with about 5,000 men, had closely chased Cornwallis down the Peninsula from Richmond, when, on July 6th, 1781, the British General laid a trap for his pursuers at the Jamestown causeway. Concealing the principal part of his army on the mainland, he stationed a smaller part on the Jamestown Peninsula
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Nathaniel and I often picture to each other what this village of Jamestown would be if in each camp, cave, or log hut a woman was in command, and ever when we talk thus comes into my heart a sickness for the old homes of England, even though after my mother died there was none for me; but yet it would do me a world of good even to look upon a housewife.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
lashes on their backs, rather than take again such a dose as was dealt out on that day after John Smith was made captain and commander, or whatsoever you choose to call his office, in the village of Jamestown. BUILDING A FORTIFIED VILLAGE There is little need for me to say that these were not the only reforms which my master brought about, after
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.
Timeline
Jamestown, 1810 to 1980
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born 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.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Jamestown. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1905Jamestown 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 Jamestown.
Every building
Jamestown, building by building, 1886–1902
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.
In 1810, according to Wikidata. Jamestown’s post office opened in 1816, and the census of 1860 counted 3,155 people here.
How does Jamestown rank for history?
Jamestown is more historic than 98% of U.S. towns, #54 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 Jamestown?
11 listings: 8 buildings, among them the Gov. Reuben Fenton Mansion (listed 1972, the first), and 3 historic districts, the Jamestown Downtown Historic District, the Lakeview Avenue Historic District and the Forest Heights Historic District, with 602 contributing buildings. 613 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Jamestown?
58% of Jamestown’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.0 points), against a typical 27% for a New York town; the median home was built in 1938.
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 (8), the Library of Congress (4), the National Register of Historic Places (11), 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, 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.
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