North Elba dates to 1814, and 28% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 93% of U.S. towns · #199 of 758 in New York. What drives it
19 places in town are on the National Register, among them the John Brown Farm and Gravesite, a National Historic Landmark, and two historic districts with 81 buildings between them. Below: 6 old photos and papers, maps from 1902 on, and the census since 1850.
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1849.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives North Elba’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, North Elba is more historic than 93% of U.S. towns, #199 of 758 in New York. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its age lowest.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of North Elba’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 North Elba’s 135 sits above most of its state (79% of New York towns have fewer) while its 102 historic buildings outnumber those of 90% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikipedia alone; no second source gives 1814.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would still be A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.6 points).
Founding year: Wikipedia (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 North Elba’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The town was first settled around 1814. In 1840 there were six families in the future North Elba, which was formed from part of the town of Keene in 1849.
The abolitionist John Brown, attracted by the views of local abolitionist Gerrit Smith, came to the town in 1849 to found a community for former black slaves. Smith was trying to resettle free blacks on land in the area, but it was not suitable for family farming. Brown left from his farm for the raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859.
town village. He also served as Postmaster, having the Post Office in one part of his store. In 1826 Alanson Mitchell and Captain John Lobdell had charge of the men who cut out and built the road through what is now the town of North Elba and on to Hopkinton. Squier Lee, then 19 years of age, helped build this road.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
to have brought into historical existence "Rogers' Rock," once led his chosen baud as far into the interior of the Adiroudacks as the "Plains of Abraham," near where the Ray Brook House stands in the western part of the town of North Elba, and there attacked and destroyed an Indian village. Returning, he passed through the Valley now occupied by Elizabethtown village, where he was overtakan by the pursuing Indians and a battle ensued, in which many of the red men were slain. The chief
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
North Elba, 1814 to 1998
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.
In 1814, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. North Elba’s post office opened in 1849, and the census of 1850 counted 210 people here.
How does North Elba rank for history?
North Elba is more historic than 93% of U.S. towns, #199 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 North Elba?
19 listings: 16 buildings, 2 historic districts, the John Brown Farm and Gravesite and the Helen Hill Historic District, with 81 contributing buildings, and 1 structure. 102 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in North Elba?
28% of North Elba’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.6 points), against a typical 27% for a New York town; the median home was built in 1976.
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 (6), the National Register of Historic Places (19), 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 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.
★ Landmark
1859
1896
