Staunton dates to 1747, and 20% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 97% of U.S. towns · #4 of 253 in Virginia. What drives it
37 places in town are on the National Register, among them the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace, a National Historic Landmark, and eight historic districts with 860 buildings between them. Below: 23 old photos and papers, maps from 1886 on, and the census since 1860.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1882.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Staunton’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Staunton is more historic than 97% of U.S. towns, #4 of 253 in Virginia. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Staunton’s overall grade.
Virginia towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Virginia town has 3.6 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Staunton’s 356 sits above most of its state (86% of Virginia towns have fewer) while its 924 historic buildings outnumber those of 99% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1747.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. The pre-1940 share (±2.1 points) is firm at this size.
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 Staunton’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. One is a National Historic Landmark, the highest tier. Boundary changes and added documentation are counted with their listing.
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 area was first settled in 1732 by John Lewis and family. In 1736, William Beverley, a wealthy planter and merchant from Essex County, was granted by the Crown over 118,000 acres (48,000 hectares; 480 square kilometres; 184 square miles) in what would become Augusta County. Surveyor Thomas Lewis in 1746 laid out the first town plat for Beverley of what was originally called Beverley's Mill Place. Founded in 1747, it was renamed in honor of Lady Rebecca Staunton, wife to Royal Lieutenant-Governor Sir William Gooch. Because the town was located at the geographical center of the colony (which then included West Virginia), Staunton served between 1738 and 1771 as regional capital for much of what was later known as the Northwest Territory, with the westernmost courthouse in British North America prior to the Revolution. By 1760, Staunton was one of the major "remote trading centers in th…
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Staunton. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1944Staunton 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 Staunton.
Every building
Staunton, building by building, 1886–1921
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
In 1747, according to Wikidata. Staunton’s post office opened in 1882, and the census of 1860 counted 3,875 people here.
How does Staunton rank for history?
Staunton is more historic than 97% of U.S. towns, #4 of 253 in Virginia. 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 Staunton?
37 listings: 29 buildings, among them the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace (a National Historic Landmark since 1964), 8 historic districts with 860 contributing buildings, and 2 sites. 924 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Staunton?
20% of Staunton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.1 points), against a typical 1.9% for a Virginia town; the median home was built in 1962.
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 (9), the Library of Congress (14), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (39), 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 Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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c. 1857
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1862
1880![[Bridge of] Thornrose Cemetery](https://images.townratings.com/story/18242/e4aff03165530b35591f-s.jpg)
1907![[Monument of] Thornrose Cemetery](https://images.townratings.com/story/18242/8522a9716e14ad045437-s.jpg)
1907![Blind Asylum Staunton, Va. [front of building]](https://images.townratings.com/story/18242/a28d05050b8dbe60e967-s.jpg)
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c. 1910
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