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A+History
History · Bradford

Bradford dates to 1770, and 32% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 98% of U.S. towns · #11 of 71 in Vermont. What drives it

3 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 81 buildings. Below: 36 old photos and papers, maps from 1887 on, and the census since 1790.

1770founded
3on the National Register
32%homes built before 1940
36old photos & papers
11famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Bradford’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Bradford began

When was Bradford founded?

1770

Bradford dates its founding to 1770 (Wikidata). It appears in the first U.S. census, 1790.

First census: 654 in 17902020 census: 2,790256 years

How historic is Bradford?

A+

More historic than 98% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1804.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Bradford’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Bradford is more historic than 98% of U.S. towns, #11 of 71 in Vermont. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.

A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Bradford’s overall grade.
Founding era1770, from Wikidata: founded before 1776, an older era than 96% of U.S. townsA+Homes built before 194031.7% of homes (±12.3) · typical VT town 22.4% · U.S. 8.4%ANational Register3 listings, 82 historic buildings, 290 per 10,000 residents · typical VT town 147 · U.S. 2.4A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 98%
NewerOlder
Vermont towns of 2,500+ (71)Ahead of 86%

Vermont towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Vermont town has 147 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Bradford’s 290 sits above most of its state (77% of Vermont towns have fewer) while its 82 historic buildings outnumber those of 88% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1770.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±12.3 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 Bradford’s past

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

A town in old photos36 old photos, postcards and papers.A historic districtThe Bradford Village Historic District takes in 81 historic buildings.Lost villages3 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Bradford, and 1 old place names are still on the map.Mapped building by building6 fire insurance maps, 1887 to 1922, drew every building in Bradford.
★ What stands out · By decade

Bradford, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1930s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1930s36 items
1939 Vermont byRLee USFarmSecurityAdministration LC 8b22964v19391939 Vermont byRLee USFarmSecurityAdministration LC 8…Farmer sawing wood near Bradford, Vermont, by Russell Lee, United States Office of War Information, Oct. 1939, from the…1939Farmer sawing wood near Bradford, Vermont, by Russell…Grading potatoes in cooperative association. Bradford, Vermont, Vermont, by Russell Lee, United States Office of War In…1939Grading potatoes in cooperative association. Bradford…House1939HouseStreet scene. Bradford, Vermont1939Street scene. Bradford, VermontSeat of farm wagon1939Seat of farm wagonFarmer sawing wood near Bradford, Vermont1939Farmer sawing wood near Bradford, VermontFarmers sawing wood near Bradford, Vermont1939Farmers sawing wood near Bradford, VermontFarmer's wagon in town. Bradford, Vermont1939Farmer's wagon in town. Bradford, VermontBradford, Vermont. Horse tied in town1939Bradford, Vermont. Horse tied in townGrading potatoes in cooperative association. Bradford, Vermont1939Grading potatoes in cooperative association. Bradford…Grading potatoes in cooperative association. Bradford, Vermont1939Grading potatoes in cooperative association. Bradford…Farm family eating dinner. Orange County1939Farm family eating dinner. Orange CountyInterior of farm home. Bradford, Vermont, Orange County1939Interior of farm home. Bradford, Vermont, Orange Coun…Boy raking up leaves on front lawn1939Boy raking up leaves on front lawnWagon and agricultural equipmenmt on farm near Bradford, Vermont1939Wagon and agricultural equipmenmt on farm near Bradfo…Detail of farmhouse in Orange County near Bradford, Vermont1939Detail of farmhouse in Orange County near Bradford, V…Barnyard on farm in Orange County near Bradford, Vermont1939Barnyard on farm in Orange County near Bradford, Verm…Barnyard on farm in Orange County near Bradford, Vermont1939Barnyard on farm in Orange County near Bradford, Verm…Boy raking and gathering leaves on front lawn1939Boy raking and gathering leaves on front lawnWeighing seed potatoes at cooperative's association. Bradford, Vermont, Orange County1939Weighing seed potatoes at cooperative's association. …Salting his beans. Farmer in Orange County near Bradford, Vermont1939Salting his beans. Farmer in Orange County near Bradf…Waiting for dinner in farm home. Bradford, Vermont, Orange County1939Waiting for dinner in farm home. Bradford, Vermont, O…Farmer puttying a window. Farm near Bradford, Vermont. Orange County1939Farmer puttying a window. Farm near Bradford, Vermont…Untitled photo, possibly related to: Farmer's wagon in town1939Untitled photo, possibly related to: Farmer's wagon i…Boys gathering leaves into cardboard box. Front lawn1939Boys gathering leaves into cardboard box. Front lawnBoys gathering leaves into cardboard box. Front lawn1939Boys gathering leaves into cardboard box. Front lawnBoys gathering leaves into cardboard box. Front lawn1939Boys gathering leaves into cardboard box. Front lawnPrimitive sled used for hauling timber from the woods1939Primitive sled used for hauling timber from the woodsFarmhouse nesting in the hills of Vermont near Bradford, Orange County1939Farmhouse nesting in the hills of Vermont near Bradfo…Snowshoes and scythe in barn in Orange County near Bradford, Vermont1939Snowshoes and scythe in barn in Orange County near Br…Splitting wood, getting ready for the winter, on farm near Bradford, Vermont1939Splitting wood, getting ready for the winter, on farm…Splitting wood, getting ready for the winter, on farm near Bradford, Vermont1939Splitting wood, getting ready for the winter, on farm…Dark fall day1939Dark fall dayUntitled photo, possibly related to: Grading potatoes in cooperative association. Bradford, Vermont1939Untitled photo, possibly related to: Grading potatoes…Dinner is ready on a farm in Orange County near Bradford, Vermont1939Dinner is ready on a farm in Orange County near Bradf…
1940s–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

3 listings protect 82 historic buildings

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

places listed
3
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
82
each building in a district counts
first listed
1975
Bradford Village Historic District
Goshen ChurchBridge 22Bradford Village Historic District
BuildingsDistrictsStructures

Architectural styles listings

Vernacular Greek Revival1
Gothic Revival1
Warren pony truss1
Greek Revival1
Richardsonian Romanesque1
Vernacular1
Goshen ChurchVernacular Greek Revival
Bridge 22Warren pony truss
All 3 listings
Bradford Village Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1975

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, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Bradford’s post office has been open since 1804. Three other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Bradford
1804–today
West Bradford
1831–1837
Bradford Center
1847–1903
South Bradford
1851–1858
18001910today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Bradford Center
Gone or out of use
Goshen SchoolschoolWest Bradford Schoolschool
5cemeteries and burying grounds inside Bradford
GoshenSawyerSawyerWest BradfordWrights Mountain

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

The story

How Bradford came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Bradford.

Read it all →

The earliest name of the settlement was Wait's River Town or Waitstown, in honor of Joseph Wait, a member of Rogers' Rangers. The town was originally part of Gloucester County in the Province of New York before becoming part of Vermont. In 1770, the town was established by New York patent: 3,000 acres (1,200 hectares) were granted on May 3, 1770, and the town was named Mooretown after Sir Henry Moore, 1st Baronet, then the royal governor of New York. On October 23, 1788, at the request of town's residents, the town was renamed Bradford by the Vermont General Assembly, likely after Bradford, Massachusetts. According to the Vermont Encyclopedia, Bradford "has always been an industrial and commercial center for the surrounding rural towns and villages."

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Bradford in 1875

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

H. C: McDuffee represented the town of Bradford in the State Legislature of 1870 and 1872, and has held several other offices of honor and trust. Was High Bailiff of Orange County in 1872 and 1873; -one of the Selectmen, of- Bradford, etc., and has been much engaged in buying and selling lands in t…
A history of Bradford Vermont1875 · page 247Read the page →
Read the text

H. C: McDuffee represented the town of Bradford in the State Legislature of 1870 and 1872, and has held several other offices of honor and trust. Was High Bailiff of Orange County in 1872 and 1873; -one of the Selectmen, of- Bradford, etc., and has been much engaged in buying and selling lands in the Western and Southern States, as agent for parties in Boston and New York; also in connection with his brothers, Charles and Horace, in settling

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
_Mr. Eugene Baker was toll-gatherer at Piermont bridge, across Connecticut River. His toll-house, in which Emily was brought up, was at the west end of the bridge, and of course in Bradford, her native place. Her commemoration of The Old Bridge, in general use, was therefore perfectly natural.
A history of Bradford Vermont1875 · page 443Read the page →
Read the text

_Mr. Eugene Baker was toll-gatherer at Piermont bridge, across Connecticut River. His toll-house, in which Emily was brought up, was at the west end of the bridge, and of course in Bradford, her native place. Her commemoration of The Old Bridge, in general use, was therefore perfectly natural.

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.

Timeline

Bradford, 1770 to 1939

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

  1. 18th century
  2. 1770
    FoundingBradford is established
  3. 19th century
  4. 1804Post officeThe Bradford post office opens
  5. 1810Born hereJohn Putnam Chapin is born here
  6. 1813Born hereAmos Henry Worthen is born here
  7. 1831Post officeThe West Bradford post office opens
  8. 1837Post officeThe West Bradford post office closes
  9. 1847Post officeThe Bradford Center post office opens
  10. 1862Born hereAlbert Edson Sleeper is born here
  11. 20th century
  12. 1903Post officeThe Bradford Center post office closes
  13. 1921Born hereUrsula B. Marvin is born here
  14. 1931On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  15. 1939In the archive1939 Vermont byRLee USFarmSecurityAdministration LC 8b22964v
On the map

Bradford on the map in 1931

The U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Bradford.

Bradford on the 1931 USGS map1931Mt Cube 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 Bradford.

Every building

Bradford, building by building, 1887–1922

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.

Bradford fire insurance map, 1887, sheet 11887Sheet 1 of 1
Edition
Sheets
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

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.

1939 Vermont byRLee USFarmSecurityAdministration LC 8b22964v
Retake this view1939 Vermont byRLee USFarmSecurityAdministration LC 8b22964v, 1939

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

Retake this view · +15
People over time

Bradford, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,00018001850190019502000Peak: 2,797

Between 654 and 2,797 people in every census since 1790.

24 censuses, 1790–2020.

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

Famous people

11 famous people were born in Bradford

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

See all →
Ursula B. MarvinAmerican geologist, mineralogist and historian … · b. 1921
John Putnam ChapinAmerican politician in Illinois · b. 1810
Albert Edson SleeperAmerican politician · b. 1862
Amos Henry WorthenAmerican geologist and palaeontologist · b. 1813
Charles Edgar ClarkUnited States admiral · b. 1843
Daniel Kimball PearsonsAmerican biblical scholar · b. 1820
Help out

Finish Bradford’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old view1939 Vermont byRLee USFarmSecurityAdmin…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Newbury11 historic placesA+CorinthIts storyB+Fairlee4 historic placesA+West Fairlee5 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Bradford’s history

What year was Bradford founded?

In 1770, according to Wikidata. Bradford’s post office opened in 1804, and the first U.S. census counted 654 people here in 1790.

How does Bradford rank for history?

Bradford is more historic than 98% of U.S. towns, #11 of 71 in Vermont. 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 Bradford?

Three places: the Goshen Church (listed 1976), the Bridge 22 (2010) and the Bradford Village Historic District (1975).

How old are the homes in Bradford?

32% of Bradford’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±12.3 points), against a typical 22% for a Vermont town; the median home was built in 1976.

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 (3), the Library of Congress (33), the National Register of Historic Places (3), 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, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) 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.