The Madrid post office opened in 1807, the earliest record of the town by name. Two smaller post offices, Columbia (1809) and Madrid Springs (1869), opened inside today’s town and later closed.
2020 census: 1,744219 years
How historic is Madrid?
A−
More historic than 84% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: the first Madrid post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Madrid’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Madrid is more historic than 84% of U.S. towns. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its share of homes from before 1940 ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Madrid’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 Madrid’s 11.3 sits near the middle of its state (48% 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 (±6.2 points). The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date.
Founding year: the first post office (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 Madrid’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Madrid was first settled around 1801. The town was one of the four original towns created along with the county in 1802. It was formed from the town of Lisbon. The south part of Madrid was lost to form the town of Potsdam in 1806. The town gave up territory for the new town of Waddington in 1859.
During the War of 1812, Madrid, due to its proximity to Canada, developed a town militia, the "South Madrid Militia". Madrid was raided by the Canadians in February 1814.
After a more diverse economy, including mining and logging, the primary industry became farming, and the commercial presence is solely to support the residents.
The First Congregational Church of Madrid was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.
schools and colleges were founded. He improved and adorned Madrid, though at one time he entertained the idea of transferring the seat of government to Seville ; and caused parks and promenades to be laid out. Under the direction of this monarch, canals were constructed, roads made, waste lands reclaimed, and industries stimulated.
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.
By decade
Madrid, decade by decade
One decade in the archive so far: the 1900s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
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.
The Madrid post office opened in 1807, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does Madrid rank for history?
Madrid is more historic than 84% of U.S. towns. 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 Madrid?
One place: the First Congregational Church of Madrid (listed 2010).
How old are the homes in Madrid?
30% of Madrid’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.2 points), against a typical 27% for a New York town; the median home was built in 1972.
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 (3), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System 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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2025