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History · Plymouth

Plymouth’s post office opened in 1809, and 20% of its homes were built before 1940

3 places in town are on the National Register, among them the Calvin Coolidge Homestead District, a National Historic Landmark, and three historic districts with 58 buildings between them. Below: 8 old photos and papers, maps from 1911 on, and the census since 1790.

1809first post office
3on the National Register
20%homes built before 1940
8old photos & papers
5famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Plymouth’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Plymouth began

When was Plymouth founded?

1809

The Plymouth post office opened in 1809, the earliest record of the town by name. Three smaller post offices, Tyson Furnace (1840), Plymouth Union (1875) and Tyson (1885), opened inside today’s town and later closed.

First census: 106 in 17902020 census: 641217 years
Founding year: the first Plymouth post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓

What stands out about Plymouth’s past

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

Shrank, then grewLost two-thirds of its people between 1840 and 1970, then more than doubled.Lost villages3 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Plymouth, and 2 old place names are still on the map.A historic districtThe Coolidge State Park takes in 31 historic buildings.A National Historic Landmark3 places on the National Register, including Calvin Coolidge Homestead District, a National Historic Landmark.
★ What stands out · People over time

Plymouth, census by census

02004006008001,0001,2001,400180018501900195020001,417 in 1840Low: 283

Lost two-thirds of its people between 1840 and 1970, then more than doubled.

24 censuses, 1790–2020.

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

Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners and burying grounds

Plymouth’s post office has been open since 1809. Three other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Plymouth
1809–today
Tyson Furnace
1840–1885
Plymouth Union
1875–1973
Tyson
1885–1943
18001910today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Plymouth UnionTyson
4cemeteries and burying grounds inside Plymouth
Plymouth - Five CornersPlymouth KingdomPlymouth NotchTyson - Pollard

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

On the National Register

3 listings protect 58 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. One is a National Historic Landmark, the highest tier.

places listed
3
National Historic Landmark
1
Calvin Coolidge Homestead District
historic buildings protected
58
each building in a district counts
first listed
1966
Calvin Coolidge Homestead District
Plymouth Historic DistrictCoolidge State ParkCalvin Coolidge Homestead District, built 1840★
Districts★ landmark

Architectural styles listings

Cape Cod Style1
Colonial1
CCC State Park1
★ Landmark
Calvin Coolidge Homestead DistrictBuilt 1840
Plymouth Historic DistrictCape Cod Style
Coolidge State ParkCCC State Park

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

The story

How Plymouth came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Plymouth.

Read it all →

The old Coolidge store, run by John Calvin Coolidge, Sr., the president's father, housed the post office in the 1920s. John Coolidge's wife, Carrie, served as postmaster 1903–1917. Coolidge's father also founded Plymouth Cheese, which continues to produce artisan cheese today.

Plymouth was one of thirteen Vermont towns isolated by flooding caused by Hurricane Irene in 2011.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Plymouth in 1891

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

The town of Plymouth abounds in natural attractions, greater than which there is none in southern Vermont, and the greatest and most celebrated of those in the town are what has been termed the Plymouth Caverns. These were first discovered early in July, 1818, and very soon afterward were explored.…
History of Windsor County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers1891 · page 394Read the page →
Read the text

The town of Plymouth abounds in natural attractions, greater than which there is none in southern Vermont, and the greatest and most celebrated of those in the town are what has been termed the Plymouth Caverns. These were first discovered early in July, 1818, and very soon afterward were explored. They are situate at the base of the mountain, on the southwest side of the river, and about fifty rods therefrom.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Old Families. ' 403 in Plymouth and the adjoining towns. In 1871 Mr. King moved from Tunbridge and settled in Plymouth, and in 1877 purchased the farm known as the "Deacon Clark farm," situated in that portion of Plymouth known as the " Kingdom." He is a Republican in politics. Both he and Mrs. Kin…
History of Windsor County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers1891 · page 403Read the page →
Read the text

Old Families. ' 403 in Plymouth and the adjoining towns. In 1871 Mr. King moved from Tunbridge and settled in Plymouth, and in 1877 purchased the farm known as the "Deacon Clark farm," situated in that portion of Plymouth known as the " Kingdom." He is a Republican in politics. Both he and Mrs. King are members of the Congregational Church at Tyson. Their children are .Jessie Amanda, Abbie Lillian, and Nathaniel.

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

Plymouth, 1809 to 1973

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1809Post officeThe Plymouth post office opens
  3. 1827Born hereAchsa W. Sprague is born here
  4. 1836Born hereHenry Moses Pollard is born here
  5. 1840BuiltCalvin Coolidge Homestead District is built
  6. 1840Post officeThe Tyson Furnace post office opens
  7. 1840CensusPopulation peaks at 1,417
  8. 1845Born hereJohn Calvin Coolidge, Sr. is born here
  9. 1850In the archive1940 Census Enumeration District Descriptions - Vermont - Windsor County - ED 14-21, ED 1…
  10. 1853Born hereWilliam W. Stickney is born here
  11. 1860In the archiveGold digging at Smith's claim, Gold Miner's Glen, Plymouth, Vt
  12. 1875Post officeThe Plymouth Union post office opens
  13. 1885Post officeThe Tyson Furnace post office closes
  14. 20th century
  15. 1911On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  16. 1924In the archiveArthur Whitcomb, U.S. Marine Corps bugler, will sound taps over the dead son of the Pres.…
  17. 1965LandmarkCalvin Coolidge Homestead District named a National Historic Landmark
  18. 1973Post officeThe Plymouth Union post office closes
By decade

Plymouth, decade by decade

3 decades in the archive, from the 1850s to the 1920s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1850s–1860s6 items
1940 Census Enumeration District Descriptions - Vermont - Windsor County - ED 14-21, ED 14-22, ED 14-23, ED 14-24, ED 1…18501940 Census Enumeration District Descriptions - Vermo…Map of the town of Plymouth, Windsor County, Vermont1859Map of the town of Plymouth, Windsor County, VermontMapGold digging at Smith's claim, Gold Miner's Glen, Plymouth, Vtc. 1860Gold digging at Smith's claim, Gold Miner's Glen, Ply…In gold miner's glen, Plymouth, Vtc. 1860In gold miner's glen, Plymouth, VtIn gold miner's glen, Plymouth, Vtc. 1860In gold miner's glen, Plymouth, VtIn the gold miner's glen, Plymouth, Vtc. 1860In the gold miner's glen, Plymouth, Vt
1920s2 items
Arthur Whitcomb, U.S. Marine Corps bugler, will sound taps over the dead son of the Pres. at the grave in Plymouth, Vt.…1924Arthur Whitcomb, U.S. Marine Corps bugler, will sound…First correct composite photograph made of President Coolidge's first dramatic inaugural1925First correct composite photograph made of President …
1930s–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
Today1 recent
Plymouth vt highlight2004Plymouth vt highlight
On the map

Plymouth on the map, 1911 to 1966

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

Plymouth on the 1911 USGS mapPlymouth on the 1943 USGS mapPlymouth on the 1966 USGS map1911Woodstock 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 Plymouth.

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.

1940 Census Enumeration District Descriptions - Vermont - Windsor County - ED 14-21, ED 14-22, ED 14-23, ED 14-24, ED 1…
Retake this view1940 Census Enumeration District Descriptions - Vermont - Windsor County - ED 14-21, ED 14-22, ED 14-23, ED 14-24, ED 1…, 1850

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

Retake this view · +15
Famous people

5 famous people were born in Plymouth

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

See all →
William W. StickneyAmerican attorney and politician from Vermont · b. 1853
John Calvin Coolidge, Sr.American politician · b. 1845
Henry Moses PollardAmerican politician · b. 1836
Achsa W. SpragueAmerican medium · b. 1827
Hiland Orlando StickneyAmerican football player and coach · b. 1867
Help out

Finish Plymouth’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 view1940 Census Enumeration District Descri…: 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.

Ludlow6 historic placesABridgewater4 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townReading3 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townMount Holly3 historic placesB+Shrewsbury3 historic placesA−MendonIts storyC

Questions about Plymouth’s history

What year was Plymouth founded?

The Plymouth post office opened in 1809, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

What is on the National Register in Plymouth?

Three places: the Calvin Coolidge Homestead District (listed 1966), the Plymouth Historic District (1970) and the Coolidge State Park (2002).

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). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (8), the Library of Congress (1), Wikidata (1), 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 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.