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–Not graded
History · Latham

Latham’s post office opened in 1899, and 6 of its places are on the National Register

Most of Latham was built recently: 7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1976. Below: maps from 1986 on and the census since 1970.

1899first post office
6on the National Register
7%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Tyler A. McNeil · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers

How Latham began

When was Latham founded?

1899

The Latham post office opened in 1899, the earliest record of the town by name.

First census: 9,661 in 19702020 census: 13,680127 years
Founding year: the first Latham post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓

What stands out about Latham’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 Latham are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Landmarks on the Register6 places on the National Register.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Latham’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Latham’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the National Register

6 historic places in Latham

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

places listed
6
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
10
each building in a district counts

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

The story

How Latham came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Latham.

Read it all →

The area was known at different times in its history as Yearsley's (c. 1829), Van Vranken's (c. 1851), Town House Corners (c. 1860) and Latham's Corners, named after hotel owner William G. Latham. The "corner" referred to is now the intersection of Troy-Schenectady Road (NY Route 2) and Old Loudon Road.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Latham, decade by decade

Today12 recent
Latham, New York2007Latham, New YorkLatham, New York2007Latham, New YorkLatham, New York2007Latham, New YorkLatham, New York2007Latham, New YorkLatham, New York2007Latham, New YorkLatham, New York2007Latham, New YorkLathamwatertower2006LathamwatertowerLatham, New York2006Latham, New YorkColonie Youth Court trial 20062006Colonie Youth Court trial 2006Latham, New York2005Latham, New YorkLatham, New York2005Latham, New YorkLatham, New York2005Latham, New York
On the map

Latham on the map in 1986

The U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Latham.

Latham on the 1986 USGS map1986Albany sheet · 1:100,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Latham.

People over time

Latham, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00012,00014,000198020002020Peak: 13,680

Between 9,661 and 13,680 people in every census since 1970.

6 censuses, 1970–2020.

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

Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Colonie45 historic placesB−Watervliet5 historic placesALoudonville13 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Latham’s history

What year was Latham founded?

The Latham post office opened in 1899, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

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). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (12), 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.