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CHistory
History · Grafton

Grafton dates to 1896

More historic than 27% of U.S. towns · #309 of 362 in Wisconsin. What drives it

Most of Grafton was built recently: 8% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1975. Below: 9 old photos and papers, maps from 1892 on, and the census since 1880.

1896founded
0on the National Register
8%homes built before 1940
9old photos & papers
2famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Grafton’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Grafton began

When was Grafton founded?

1896

Grafton dates its founding to 1896 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1880.

First census: 415 in 18802020 census: 4,355130 years

How historic is Grafton?

C

More historic than 27% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikipedia.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Grafton’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Grafton is more historic than 27% of U.S. towns, #309 of 362 in Wisconsin. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.

C
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Grafton’s overall grade.
Founding era1896, from Wikipedia: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 19408.3% of homes (±5.0) · typical WI town 12.1% · U.S. 8.4%C+National RegisterNo listings counted · typical WI town 3.0 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 27%
NewerOlder
Wisconsin towns of 2,500+ (362)Ahead of 15%

Wisconsin towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Wisconsin town has 3.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Grafton’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (28% of Wisconsin towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikipedia alone; no second source gives 1896.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to C. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.0 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 Grafton’s past

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

On the map since 18924 editions of the USGS map, 1892 to 1971. Watch Grafton change.
★ What stands out · On the map

Grafton on the map, 1892 to 1971

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

Grafton on the 1892 USGS mapGrafton on the 1904 USGS mapGrafton on the 1959 USGS mapGrafton on the 1971 USGS map1892Port Washington 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 Grafton.

The story

How Grafton came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Grafton.

Read it all →

The first Europeans to visit the area were the Jesuit missionaries Claude-Jean Allouez and Claude Bablon, who visited a Native American village on the Milwaukee River near the future site of Grafton around 1670.

Timothy Wooden, who arrived in 1839 from the eastern United States, is considered Grafton's first permanent white resident. The majority of the early residents were immigrants from Germany and Ireland. In the early 1840s, the village was called Hamburg, because Jacob Eichler, one of the village founders, was an immigrant from Hamburg, Germany. A post office for "Hamburgh" was established in 1844.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Grafton, 1892 to 1996

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1892On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  3. 1896
    FoundingGrafton is established
  4. 20th century
  5. 1920Born hereRalph Zaun is born here
  6. 1949Born hereBarbara M. Joosse is born here
  7. 1996In the archiveDISTANT VIEW TO SOUTH. SUBJECT BRIDGE AND ITS SETTING. - Bridge Street Bridge, Spanning M…
By decade

Grafton, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1990s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1990s9 items
DISTANT VIEW TO SOUTH. SUBJECT BRIDGE AND ITS SETTING. - Bridge Street Bridge, Spanning Milwaukee River1996DISTANT VIEW TO SOUTH. SUBJECT BRIDGE AND ITS SETTING…VERTICAL, TOP CHORD, TOP STRUT AND TOP LATERAL BRACING CONNECTION. - Bridge Street Bridge, Spanning Milwaukee River, Gr…1996VERTICAL, TOP CHORD, TOP STRUT AND TOP LATERAL BRACIN…VIEW TO EAST NORTHEAST. - Bridge Street Bridge, Spanning Milwaukee River1996VIEW TO EAST NORTHEAST. - Bridge Street Bridge, Spann…VIEW TO EAST. SUBJECT BRIDGE AND ITS SETTING. - Bridge Street Bridge, Spanning Milwaukee River1996VIEW TO EAST. SUBJECT BRIDGE AND ITS SETTING. - Bridg…VIEW TO NORTHEAST. - Bridge Street Bridge, Spanning Milwaukee River1996VIEW TO NORTHEAST. - Bridge Street Bridge, Spanning M…VIEW TO NORTHEAST. VERTICALS. - Bridge Street Bridge, Spanning Milwaukee River1996VIEW TO NORTHEAST. VERTICALS. - Bridge Street Bridge,…VIEW TO NORTHWEST. PORTAL BRACING. - Bridge Street Bridge, Spanning Milwaukee River1996VIEW TO NORTHWEST. PORTAL BRACING. - Bridge Street Br…VIEW TO SOUTHWEST. ADJACENT MILL IN BACKGROUND. - Bridge Street Bridge, Spanning Milwaukee River1996VIEW TO SOUTHWEST. ADJACENT MILL IN BACKGROUND. - Bri…VIEW TO WEST SOUTHWEST. DETAIL OF PORTAL STRUT AND BRIDGE PLATE. - Bridge Street Bridge, Spanning Milwaukee River, Graf…1996VIEW TO WEST SOUTHWEST. DETAIL OF PORTAL STRUT AND BR…
Today12 recent
Memorial Day in2014Memorial Day inMemorial Day Parade in2014Memorial Day Parade in20140331-Wisconsin- 30401201420140331-Wisconsin- 3040120140331-Wisconsin- 30393201420140331-Wisconsin- 30393WIS 60 East Terminus Ulao Wisconsin2011WIS 60 East Terminus Ulao WisconsinWoolen Mill Grafton Dec092009Woolen Mill Grafton Dec09St. Joseph's Catholic Church2009St. Joseph's Catholic ChurchGrafton Tower2009Grafton TowerGrafton-WI-Paramount Plaza2007Grafton-WI-Paramount PlazaOzaukee-Interurban-Trail2006Ozaukee-Interurban-TrailGrafton MeadowbrookPark12006Grafton MeadowbrookPark1ISS030-E-2238282001ISS030-E-223828
People over time

Grafton, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00012,0001880190019201940196019802000202012,094

Grew from 415 people in 1880 to 12,094 in 2020, more than tenfold.

15 censuses, 1880–2020.

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

Famous people

2 famous people were born in Grafton

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

See all →
B
Barbara M. JoosseAmerican children's writer · b. 1949
R
Ralph ZaunAmerican politician Wisconsin politician · b. 1920
Places that used to be

Old corners and places now gone

Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Lakefield
Gone or out of use
Cedar Creek Stock FarmlocaleFlying S Ranch AirportairportPleasant Home FarmlocaleRiver Bend Stock Farmlocale

Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Help out

Finish Grafton’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 viewDISTANT VIEW TO SOUTH. SUBJECT BRIDGE A…: 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.

Port Washington9 historic placesACedarburg5 historic placesACedarburg3 historic placesASaukville1 historic placeBPort WashingtonIts storyB

Questions about Grafton’s history

What year was Grafton founded?

In 1896, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1880 counted 415 people here.

How does Grafton rank for history?

Grafton is more historic than 27% of U.S. towns, #309 of 362 in Wisconsin. 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.

How old are the homes in Grafton?

8% of Grafton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.0 points), against a typical 12% for a Wisconsin town; the median home was built in 1975.

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 (21), Wikidata (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.