Oldest Historic Town in Every State

Source: Ken Lund / Wikimedia Commons

46. Virginia
> Oldest town: Jamestown
> Year of first settlement: 1607

Starvation and disease caused a mortality rate of 80% among the colonists of Jamestown in 1609-1610. The surviving settlers were ready to quit Jamestown, but two ships arrived in the spring of 1610 with 150 more settlers and additional supplies.

Source: Joe Mabel / Wikimedia Commons

47. Washington
> Oldest town: Steilacoom
> Year of first settlement: 1851

Steilacoom was founded by Lafayette Balch, a sea captain from Maine. Steilacoom became known as a tourist destination in the 19th century with the introduction of electric railroad service. Prominent businessmen from Tacoma built summer cottages in town.

Source: Acroterion / Wikimedia Commons

48. West Virginia
> Oldest town: Shepherdstown and Romney
> Year of first settlement: 1762

Shepherdstown and Romney both lay claim to the title the oldest chartered town in West Virginia. Both were charted on the same day, Dec. 23,1762, by the Virginia General Assembly (West Virginia would not become a state until 1863).

Source: digidreamgrafix / Shutterstock.com

49. Wisconsin
> Oldest town: Green Bay
> Year of first settlement: 1765

Green Bay, home of football’s storied Packers, got its name from the green algae seen on the part of Lake Michigan that borders the town. With a population of just over 100,000, it is the smallest city to host an NFL football team.

Source: Thinkstock

50. Wyoming
> Oldest town: Cheyenne
> Year of first settlement: 1867

Cheyenne means “people of the strange tongue” in the language of the Arapaho people. The city, which was established on July 4, 1867, is the largest in Wyoming. Ernest Hemingway, who spent much time in Wyoming during Prohibition, married his third wife in Cheyenne in 1940.