Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 69% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Most of Fayston was built recently: 8% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1977. 2 places in town are on the National Register, among them two historic districts with 13 buildings between them. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1919 on, and the census since 1800.
Fayston dates its founding to 1788 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1800.
More historic than 69% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Fayston is more historic than 69% of U.S. towns. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
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 Fayston’s 96.9 sits near the middle of its state (58% of Vermont towns have fewer) while its 13 historic buildings outnumber those of 77% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: Wikipedia (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 →
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Fayston’s history is told.
Lost two-thirds of its people between 1860 and 1960, then grew 8-fold.
23 censuses, 1800–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Fayston’s Wikipedia page.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Fayston. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Fayston.
From Wikipedia’s history of Fayston.
The town was chartered in 1788 and sold to a speculator. The town was organized in 1805. The Mad River Glen ski area, located in Fayston on Stark Mountain, was founded in 1947. The town was home to a small one-room schoolhouse as well as several family farmers and maple producers, which contributed to the town's economic growth and stability.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Fayston, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Fayston was granted Feb. 25, and chartered Feb. 27, 1782, to Ebenezer Walbridge and hisas.sociates. It was first settled by Lynde Wait in 1798. In 1800, there were 18 persons in town.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Fayston was granted Feb. 25, and chartered Feb. 27, 1782, to Ebenezer Walbridge and his associates. It was first settled by Lynde Wait in 1798. In 1800, there were 18 persons in town.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The notes of war that rang through the land in the winter and spring of 61 were not without their effect upon the town of Fayston. Her hardy sons willingly responded to their country's call. The following is the record of services rendered and lives given, who served for their own town in the order of enlistment :
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The notes of war that rang through the land in the winter and spring of 6i were not without their effect upon the town of Fayston. Her hardy sons willingly responded to their country's call. The following is the record of services rendered and lives given, who served for their own town in the order of enlistment :
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.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyNo then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Fayston’s page.
Retake this view · +15The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Another post office, North Fayston, opened and closed inside today’s town.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1788, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Fayston’s post office opened in 1870, and the census of 1800 counted 18 people here.
Fayston is more historic than 69% of U.S. towns. 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.
Two places: the McLaughlin Farm (listed 1996) and the Mad River Glen Ski Area Historic District (2012).
8% of Fayston’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.8 points), against a typical 22% for a Vermont town; the median home was built in 1977.
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
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 (10), the Library of Congress (3), Wikidata (1), 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 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.
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