Windsor was first counted by the census in 1880, and 2 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 38% of U.S. towns · #116 of 253 in Virginia. What drives it
Most of Windsor was built recently: 3% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1995. Its Register listings are the William Scott Farmstead and the Henry Saunders House. Below: 17 old photos and papers, maps from 1919 on, and the census since 1880.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Windsor is more historic than 38% of U.S. towns, #116 of 253 in Virginia. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
C+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Windsor’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 Windsor’s 31.6 sits near the middle of its state (61% of Virginia towns have fewer) while its 9 historic buildings outnumber those of 75% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to B−. The pre-1940 share (±1.8 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: the first census (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 Windsor’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Windsor was established next to the Norfolk Southern Corporation's railroad. The town of Windsor was chartered on March 15, 1902. Windsor established a volunteer fire department in 1947 and its police department in 1990. In 2001, the town annexed 2.8 square miles (7.3 km2) of Isle of Wight County, which nearly tripled its population.
The Henry Saunders House and William Scott Farmstead are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Lost post offices, old corners and burying grounds
Windsor’s post office has been open since 1908. Another post office, Windsor Station, opened and closed inside today’s town.
Windsor Station
1859–1908
Windsor
1908–today
18501940today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Twin Ponds Mobile Home ParkWindsor Manor Mobile Home Park
2cemeteries and burying grounds inside Windsor
TylerWindsor
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Questions about Windsor’s history
What year was Windsor founded?
The Windsor post office opened in 1880, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1902.
How does Windsor rank for history?
Windsor is more historic than 38% of U.S. towns, #116 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 Windsor?
Two places: the William Scott Farmstead (listed 1991) and the Henry Saunders House (2004).
How old are the homes in Windsor?
3% of Windsor’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.8 points), against a typical 1.9% for a Virginia town; the median home was built in 1995.
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 (1), the Library of Congress (17), the National Register of Historic Places (2), 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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