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History · King William

King William’s post office opened in 1801, and 64% of its homes were built before 1940

Its Register listings are the King William County Courthouse and the King William Training School. Below: maps from 1920 on.

1801first post office
2on the National Register
64%homes built before 1940
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Quick answers

How King William began

When was King William founded?

1801

The King William post office opened in 1801, the earliest record of the town by name. Another post office, Acquinton (1849), opened inside today’s town and later closed.

2020 census: 276225 years
Founding year: the first King William post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).

What stands out about King William’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 King William are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of King William’s homes were built before 1938.On the map since 19203 editions of the USGS map, 1920 to 1968. Watch King William change.Deep rootsA post office since 1801: 225 years of King William.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start King William’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how King William’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
The story so far

King William, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of King William yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Its first post office opened in 1801. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 252 to 276 (+10%).

On the map

King William on the map, 1920 to 1968

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

King William on the 1920 USGS mapKing William on the 1949 USGS mapKing William on the 1968 USGS map1920King William 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 King William.

Timeline

King William, 1801 to 1920

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1801Post officeThe King William post office opens
  3. 1849Post officeThe Acquinton post office opens
  4. 1866Post officeThe Acquinton post office closes
  5. 20th century
  6. 1920On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

King William, decade by decade

Today3 recent
Pamunkey Indian Museum2021Pamunkey Indian MuseumSt. James Church located near King William County Courthouse, VA2010St. James Church located near King William County Cou…King William Courthouse and Vicinity - 172010King William Courthouse and Vicinity - 17
On the National Register

2 historic places in King William

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

places listed
2
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
3
each building in a district counts
first listed
1969
King William County Courthouse
King William County CourthouseKing William Training School
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

T-Shaped1
King William County CourthouseT-Shaped
King William Training SchoolBuilding

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

Places that used to be

Lost post offices and burying grounds

King William’s post office has been open since 1801. Another post office, Acquinton, opened and closed inside today’s town.

King William
1801–today
Acquinton
1849–1866
18001910today
1cemetery inside King William
Saint James Presbyterian Church

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

Questions about King William’s history

What year was King William founded?

The King William post office opened in 1801, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

What is on the National Register in King William?

Two places: the King William County Courthouse (listed 1969) and the King William Training School (2006).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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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 (3), the National Register of Historic Places (2), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, 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.