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A−History
History · Pound Ridge

Pound Ridge dates to 1788, and 15% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 84% of U.S. towns · #369 of 758 in New York. What drives it

1 place in town is on the National Register, among them a historic district with 46 buildings. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1947 on, and the census since 1790.

1788founded
1on the National Register
15%homes built before 1940
1old photo or paper
4famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Pound Ridge’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Pound Ridge began

When was Pound Ridge founded?

1788

Pound Ridge dates its founding to 1788 (Wikidata). It appears in the first U.S. census, 1790.

First census: 1,062 in 17902020 census: 5,082238 years

How historic is Pound Ridge?

A−

More historic than 84% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1826.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Pound Ridge’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Pound Ridge is more historic than 84% of U.S. towns, #369 of 758 in New York. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Pound Ridge’s overall grade.
Founding era1788, from Wikidata: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 194015.1% of homes (±4.6) · typical NY town 26.6% · U.S. 8.4%BNational Register1 listing, 46 historic buildings, 91.8 per 10,000 residents · typical NY town 12.3 · U.S. 2.4A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 84%
NewerOlder
New York towns of 2,500+ (758)Ahead of 51%

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 Pound Ridge’s 91.8 sits above most of its state (75% of New York towns have fewer) while its 46 historic buildings outnumber those of 84% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1788.
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 (±4.6 points).

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 Pound Ridge’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.Shrank, then grewLost two-thirds of its people between 1850 and 1920, then grew 9-fold.Lost villages3 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Pound Ridge, and 5 old place names are still on the map.A historic districtThe Pound Ridge Historic District takes in 46 historic buildings.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Pound Ridge’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewBertram F. Willcox, residence in Pound …: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
People over time

Pound Ridge, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0004,5005,0005,500180018501900195020001,486 in 1850Low: 515

Lost two-thirds of its people between 1850 and 1920, then grew 9-fold.

24 censuses, 1790–2020.

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

Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners and burying grounds

Pound Ridge’s post office has been open since 1953. Three other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Poundridge
1826–1903
Boutonville
1852–1903
Scott Corners
1891–1912
Pound Ridge
1953–today
18201920today
Hamlets and corners on the map
BoutonvilleEast WoodsHorseshoe HillSarles CornersScotts Corners
18cemeteries and burying grounds inside Pound Ridge
Abbott - ScofieldAmblerAyersBishop FamilyBrown - Cooper FamilyBrownDantownDelavanHoytKnapp - Bouton - InterlackenMillerPound RidgeSarlesScofield - Green - Stone HillScofield - HoytSilas Brown PlotWaterburyWood - Waterbury Family

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

The story

How Pound Ridge came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Pound Ridge.

Read it all →

In the early 17th century, the Pound Ridge area was inhabited by Native Americans who spoke the Munsee language and were members of the Wappinger Confederacy. The geographical boundaries of the tribes within the Confederacy are unclear. Pound Ridge has been variously listed as within the territory of the Kitchawong, Siwanoy, and Tankiteke bands.

ChaptersNative AmericansGrants and patroonsAmerican Revolutionary War: Battle of Pound Ridge19th century20th century and beyond

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Pound Ridge, 1788 to 2010

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

  1. 18th century
  2. 1788
    FoundingPound Ridge is established
  3. 1789Born hereSamuel D. Lockwood is born here
  4. 19th century
  5. 1826Post officeThe Poundridge post office opens
  6. 1833Born hereGeorge E. Waring, Jr. is born here
  7. 1838Born hereGeorge E. Lounsbury is born here
  8. 1852Post officeThe Boutonville post office opens
  9. 1891Post officeThe Scott Corners post office opens
  10. 20th century
  11. 1903Post officeThe Poundridge post office closes
  12. 1903Post officeThe Boutonville post office closes
  13. 1912Post officeThe Scott Corners post office closes
  14. 1940In the archiveBertram F. Willcox, residence in Pound Ridge, New York. LOC gsc.5a05101
  15. 1947On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  16. 1963Born hereDrew Goodman is born here
  17. 21st century
  18. 2010CensusPopulation peaks at 5,104
By decade

Pound Ridge, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1940s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1940s1 item
Bertram F. Willcox, residence in Pound Ridge, New York. LOC gsc.5a051011940Bertram F. Willcox, residence in Pound Ridge, New Yor…
1950s–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
Today10 recent
Westchester Avenue in Pound Ridge 20262026Westchester Avenue in Pound Ridge 2026Pound Ridge Square 20262026Pound Ridge Square 2026Pound Ridge Historic District 20262026Pound Ridge Historic District 2026Hiram Halle marker-12019Hiram Halle marker-1NY137nSignRoad2016NY137nSignRoadNY137nRoadCurve-SignArrow2016NY137nRoadCurve-SignArrowNY137nRoadCurve-NY124sign2016NY137nRoadCurve-NY124signNY137nRoad-NY172signs2016NY137nRoad-NY172signsNew York State Route 1372014New York State Route 137Untitled photo2007Untitled photo
On the map

Pound Ridge on the map, 1947 to 1971

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

Pound Ridge on the 1947 USGS mapPound Ridge on the 1951 USGS mapPound Ridge on the 1960 USGS mapPound Ridge on the 1971 USGS map1947Pound Ridge sheet · 1:24,000

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

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Bertram F. Willcox, residence in Pound Ridge, New York. LOC gsc.5a05101
Retake this viewBertram F. Willcox, residence in Pound Ridge, New York. LOC gsc.5a05101, 1940

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Pound Ridge’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

1 listing protects 46 historic buildings

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

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
46
each building in a district counts
first listed
1985
Pound Ridge Historic District
Pound Ridge Historic District
Districts

Architectural styles listings

Greek Revival1
Colonial Revival1
Federal1
Gothic1
Pound Ridge Historic DistrictGreek Revival

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

Famous people

4 famous people were born in Pound Ridge

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

See all →
George E. LounsburyAmerican politician · b. 1838
D
Drew GoodmanAmerican sportscaster · b. 1963
George E. Waring, Jr.American engineer · b. 1833
Samuel D. LockwoodAmerican judge · b. 1789
Stories next door

History across the town line

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

North Castle4 historic placesB+Lewisboro6 historic placesABedford11 historic placesAScotts CornersIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Pound Ridge’s history

What year was Pound Ridge founded?

In 1788, according to Wikidata. Pound Ridge’s post office opened in 1826, and the first U.S. census counted 1,062 people here in 1790.

How does Pound Ridge rank for history?

Pound Ridge is more historic than 84% of U.S. towns, #369 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 Pound Ridge?

One place: the Pound Ridge Historic District (listed 1985).

How old are the homes in Pound Ridge?

15% of Pound Ridge’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.6 points), against a typical 27% for a New York town; the median home was built in 1970.

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).

From Wikimedia Commons (11), 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) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.