Williston dates to 1763, and 5 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 76% of U.S. towns · #52 of 71 in Vermont. What drives it
Most of Williston was built recently: 6% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1993. 5 places in town are on the National Register, among them four historic districts with 48 buildings between them. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1906 on, and the census since 1790.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Williston is more historic than 76% of U.S. towns, #52 of 71 in Vermont. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Williston’s overall grade.
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 Williston’s 48.3 sits near the middle of its state (47% of Vermont towns have fewer) while its 49 historic buildings outnumber those of 85% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikipedia alone; no second source gives 1763.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.6 points).
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 →
What stands out about Williston’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The town was chartered in the New Hampshire Grants in 1763 as a grant from Governor Benning Wentworth of the colony of New Hampshire. It was named for Samuel Willis, a New York merchant who was one of the original 65 grantees, though he never visited the town.
A private, boarding high school, Pine Ridge, was founded in 1968 to serve learning-disabled students. It closed in 2009.
Passages that mention Williston, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Chittenden County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers1886 · page 614Read the page →
Read the text
by Royal Briggs and John Williams. The original western boundary was sep arated from the Hinesburg line by a narrow strip of land running from the southeast corner of Williston (as it then was called Williston Leg), which was afterwards annexed to the respective towns of Richmond and Huntington. The act by which this change of territory was effected was passed by the Legislature October 27, 1794, which took the easterly part of Burlington, the southerly part of Jericho, the town of Williston, together with the portion of New Huntington mentioned, and a part of Avery's and Buel's Gores, forming
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Chittenden County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers1886Read the page →
Read the text
Early Settlers. — The first settlements made within the limits of the town were begun by Amos Brownson and John Chamberlain with their families in 1775, on what is called Richmond Flats, on the south side of Winooski River, in what was then the town of Williston. In the fall of that year they joined the ranks of those whom the fear of the British army was driving south, and did not return until the close of the War of the Revolution. In 1784 they returned to their farms, accompanied by Asa and Joel Brownson, Samuel and Joshua Chamberlain, James Holly, Joseph Wilson and Jesse McFairlain.
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
Williston, 1763 to 2020
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
In 1763, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Williston’s post office opened in 1803, and the first U.S. census counted 471 people here in 1790.
How does Williston rank for history?
Williston is more historic than 76% of U.S. towns, #52 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 Williston?
5 listings: 1 building, among them the Williston Congregational Church (listed 1973, the first), and 4 historic districts with 48 contributing buildings. 49 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Williston?
6% of Williston’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.6 points), against a typical 22% for a Vermont town; the median home was built in 1993.
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 (6), the Library of Congress (1), Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (5), 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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2024
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