–Not graded

History · Norway

Norway dates to 1787, and 22% of its homes were built before 1940

Its Register listing is the Norway Baptist Church (former). Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1900 on, and the census since 1820.

1787founded

1on the National Register

22%homes built before 1940

1old photo or paper

2famous people

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Quick answers

How Norway began

When was Norway founded?

1787

Norway dates its founding to 1787 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1820.

First census: 1,613 in 18202020 census: 740239 years

Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1813.The full story ↓

What stands out about Norway’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 1 old photo is in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19003 editions of the USGS map, 1900 to 1943. Watch Norway change.Deep rootsEstablished in 1787: 239 years of Norway.

★ What stands out · Help out

Start Norway’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos

00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s

1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.

Share a family photoSign in to add one+10

On the map

Norway on the map, 1900 to 1943

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Norway. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

1900Little Falls 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 Norway.

Timeline

Norway, 1787 to 1929

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

18th century
1787
FoundingNorway is established
19th century
1813Post officeThe Norway post office opens
1855Born hereCharles S. Millington is born here
1856Born hereDavid L. Brainard is born here
20th century
1900On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
1919In the archiveWilmurt New York USGS topo map 1898
1929Post officeThe Norway post office closes

The story

How Norway came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Norway.

Read it all →

The town was permanently settled around 1787 after an abandoned effort in 1786.

Norway was formed in 1792 from the town of Herkimer immediately after the creation of Herkimer County. Norway was originally a very large town, and it was subsequently broken up, directly or indirectly, into about 36 new towns in several bordering counties. In Herkimer County, the towns of Fairfield (1796), Russia (1806), Ohio (1823), Wilmurt (now defunct), and Webb (1836) were made by dividing Norway. Part of Newport was taken from Norway in 1806. The creation of Oneida County, Lewis County, Clinton County, Hamilton County, and St. Lawrence County from Herkimer County accounts for the remaining towns derived from Norway.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Norway, 1852–1886

Passages that mention Norway, cut from the printed page as they were published.

were different opinions. They had a plantation meeting in tlie Waterford plantation, to see if they Avould consent to liave the three tiers of lots set off to help make up the town of Norway, and after much discussion on the question, it was decided in the affirmative. The same year the inhabitants… — **The history of Norway [Me.] comprising a minute account of its first settlement, town officers, interspersed with historical sketches, narrative and anecdote**1852 · page 32Read the page →
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were different opinions. They had a plantation meeting in tlie Waterford plantation, to see if they Avould consent to liave the three tiers of lots set off to help make up the town of Norway, and after much discussion on the question, it was decided in the affirmative. The same year the inhabitants of Rustfield and Cummings Core, and a few squatters on the Lee Grant, also had a similar meeting, to consult on the expediency of an incorporation ; and finally determined in favor
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.

under your care and charge. And for your further encouragement, do agree to pay you three hundred dollars as a settlement, to be paid in labour and materials for erecting buildings for yourself in said town of Norway as you may want. And may God direct you in the path of duty, and grant you all nee… — **The history of Norway [Me.] comprising a minute account of its first settlement, town officers, interspersed with historical sketches, narrative and anecdote**1852 · page 79Read the page →
Read the text
under your care and charge. And for your further encouragement, do agree to pay you three hundred dollars as a settlement, to be paid in labour and materials for erecting buildings for yourself in said town of Norway as you may want. And may God direct you in the path of duty, and grant you all needed aid and assistance whereby you may be enabled to came unto the church under your care and charge from time to time in the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.

It has been said that, during the union with Denmark, Norway had no history, and this is partly true. The history of the Oldenborg kings, with their wars, and court intrigues and mistresses, is in no sense thq history of Norway. Nor was the social development of Norway parallel with that of Denmark… — **The story of Norway**1886 · page 475Read the page →
Read the text
It has been said that, during the union with Denmark, Norway had no history, and this is partly true. The history of the Oldenborg kings, with their wars, and court intrigues and mistresses, is in no sense thq history of Norway. Nor was the social development of Norway parallel with that of Denmark, during the reign of these kings. Though oppressed and politically powerless, the remoter kingdom escaped the
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

Norway, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1910s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1910s1 item

1919Wilmurt New York USGS topo map 1898Map

1920s–1990snothing yet

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.

Add from your album

On the National Register

1 historic place in Norway

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

place listed

National Historic Landmarks

none yet

historic buildings protected

each building in a district counts

first listed

2007

Norway Baptist Church (former)

Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Federal1

Norway Baptist Church (former)Federal

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

People over time

Norway, census by census

Between 386 and 1,613 people in every census since 1820.

20 censuses, 1820–2010.

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

Famous people

2 famous people were born in Norway

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →

David L. BrainardUnited States general · b. 1856

Charles S. MillingtonAmerican politician · b. 1855

Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners and burying grounds

Norway had its own post office from 1813 to 1929.

Norway

1813–1929

18101920today

Hamlets and corners on the map

Hurricane

5cemeteries and burying grounds inside Norway

Elm TreeFairviewHurricaneNorway RuralSweet

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Newport6 historic placesA OhioIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town Fairfield4 historic placesA Salisbury3 historic placesA⁻Russia2 historic placesA

Questions about Norway’s history

What year was Norway founded?

In 1787, according to Wikidata. Norway’s post office opened in 1813, and the census of 1820 counted 1,613 people here.

What is on the National Register in Norway?

One place: the Norway Baptist Church (former) (listed 2007).

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 (1), the National Register of Historic Places (1), 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.

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