100 American Towns Founded Before the American Revolution

The oldest city in America was founded 11 days after Spanish explorer Pedro Menéndez de Avilés landed in what is now Florida on the feast day of St. Augustine.

This is where the first permanent English colony in North America was established. It was named after King James.

Santa Fe was founded by Spanish conquistadors, including Don Pedro de Peralta. Santa Fe is the oldest European settlement west of the Mississippi River.

Hampton, founded by English settlers, is located at the mouth of the James River.

Dutch fur traders established Albany, the first European settlement in New York.

After crossing the Atlantic to escape religious persecution in England, the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth. The first Thanksgiving celebration took place here.

Settled by the Dutch in 1624, the English took over the town in 1664 and named it New York.

Salem, famous for the witch trials in the late 17th century, was founded by English colonial settlers.

A group of 1,000 Puritan refugees led by John Winthrop and Thomas Dudley helped found what would become the biggest city in Massachusetts.

Cambridge was settled by the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Originally called New Towne, the name Cambridge was adopted in 1638.