Well more than two centuries after the thirteen original American colonies declared their independence from Great Britain, Colonial America is still alive and kicking. From New England to the South, there are a surprising number of towns along the Eastern Seaboard where visitors can get a glimpse into that near-legendary time when America was still a work-in-progress. Historic districts of major cities aside, here are some of the best surviving colonial towns and neighborhoods in America:
Strawbery Banke
Portsmouth, NH (founded 1630)
Strawberry Banke (wikipedia.com)
Strawbery Banke was one of the first settlements in America north of Massachusetts. It enjoyed an interesting if minor role in the history of the colonies. In the 17th century it was a haven for those fleeing religious persecution in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Later renamed Portsmouth, it witnessed the signing of the Treaty of Portsmouth in 1713 and the ride of Paul Revere in 1774. It was also the site of one of the earliest abolitionist events in America when a group of slaves petitioned for their freedom in 1779.
When the city of Portsmouth expanded outward from the original settlement, the old houses of Strawbery Banke were left more or less untouched. By the time the neighborhood finally began to be restored in the 1950s, a surprising number of 18th century buildings were still in use, including at least eight which dated from before the American Revolution. Among the colonial-era highlights are the Pitt Tavern (1766), Stoodley’s Tavern (1761) and the Sherburne House (1703), the oldest building in Strawbery Banke.
Wethersfield
Hartford, CT (founded 1634)
Web: www.historicwethersfield.org
Wethersfield (wikipedia.com)
Wethersfield is one of the oldest communities in Connecticut, predating neighboring Hartford by a few years. It was one of the few places outside of Salem, Massachusetts to witness the atrocities of the witch trials, and between 1648 and 1651 three of Wethersfield’s citizens were executed as witches. George Washington and French general Rochambeau passed through Wethersfield in 1781 where, according to local legend, they planned the final campaigns of the American Revolution.
Close enough to Hartford to thrive as a suburb of the state capital, Wethersfield nevertheless retained much of its colonial-era charm, and many of its 17th and 18th century structures survived to the present day. According to the town’s historic properties inventory, there are nearly fifty homes and buildings in Wethersfield that date from before the American Revolution. The most famous is arguably the Webb House (1752) because of its association with George Washington.
I offer Sault St. Marie, MI and St. Ignace, MI, which I am told are the 2nd and 3rd oldest continuously occupied communities in the U.S.
I will have to look those up. I’m guessing those are French settlements from fur traders who came down from Canada?
I assume St. Augustine, FL would be the oldest continuously inhabited city.
Not sure if it was continuous, and there are some very old buildings, but they’re mixed in with more modern buildings.
i spent quite some time searching for a website that had solid information on the older, better preserved towns of the U.S. Your site is by far the best I’ve found. Thanks for your research and attention to detail in making this information available.
My pleasure!
The small country farming town of Greenwich is in Cumberland County NJ. It has several homes dating from the late 17th and 18th centuries. Because of its isolation, it has seen very little change compared to the rest of NJ.
I will visit the next time I’m in New Jersey and check it out!
i like it it is interesting
Thank you!
i like it
Thank you!
One of the locations that should have been mentioned in your list is Newport RI. It has about 200 plus homes and historical structures that were built prior to the American Revolution. Not to mention the one of the oldest libraries in the United States, and the oldest Jewish house of worship, Touro Synagogue. Finally, there are the iconic guilded age Newport Mansions. I just thought it should have made your list. I listed only one website below but there are many more.
I finally got to Newport earlier this year. Couldn’t agree more. Great town! It historic center got several mentions in my book The Complete American Pilgrim.
There is a nice colonial town called Greenwich, NJ in Salem county. I would definitely check it out.
Will do next time I’m in NJ.
How about Batso Village in Hammonton, NJ?
I checked it out. That’s got some wild looking buildings! What is that one that looks like it has a drive-through space in the middle?
Really? No Providence? Newport? Wickford?
Providence and Newport are great, but they are cities not towns (which is why I also excluded Boston, Philadelphia, Charleston, etc. from the list). I need more information on Wickford.
This is not America, this is the US only, what a joke.
Normally I would block comments like this, but you do make an important point. A lot of times I refer to the United States as ‘America’ for brevity. However, I do also write about places all over the Western Hemisphere. When I do talk about these two continents collectively, I do refer to them as ‘The Americas’.