What is America's most historic city? (map, state, largest, comparison)

[kidphilly]

Largest cities in the United States by population by decade - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[CanuckInPortland]

Originally Posted by kidphilly

I am looking for the source, it may be English styled actually yet I think also remember that Philadelphia was the 2nd largest English speaking city in the world in the late 1700s and early 1800s - second to only London (which has many older styles as well but maybe not as much colonial architecture) and believe far larger than than Quebec.

I don't know how true that tidbit really is. In 1750, Dublin had a population of 90,000 and rose to 165,000 by 1800. In 1750 Edinburgh had a population around 57,000 while Bristol had a population of around 45,000--and those cities grew larger in the late 18th Century. Philadelphia had a population of 28,522 in 1790 and even with Southwark and Northern Liberties would have only been about 45,000, maybe 60,000 by 1800. By 1800 in just England, Manchester had a population of 90,000, Liverpool had a population of 80,000 and Birmingham and Bristol had populations over 60,000.

List of towns and cities in England by historical population - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Of course the English-speaking world wasn't really that big in terms of population or cities until the 19th Century and imperial expansion and urbanization. The only truly large English-speaking city would've been London which had a million people by 1800(you could fit the entire colonial population of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Maryland in London at that time and had room to spare). Also, London wouldn't actually have "colonial' architecture as it wasn't a colony, it'd just be Georgian architecture which is what English colonial architecture of that period basically is--and there's large neighborhoods in London full of nothing by 18th Century Georgian architecture.

Must of the original structures are maintained as well. I cant speak to the Spanish styling and settlements in Central and SS America. I can say that the amount of structures preserved from this period is significantly larger than that of NOLA.

I do know that many tout Society Hill as the single largest neighborhood collection of colonial architecture. The whole are is loaded with this styling whereas Boston as an example has much more older stock but based on my experience not quite as much pure colonial architecture.

Philadelphia probably has the most remaining old 18th-Century English colonial architecture in North America(though some Canadian cities have plenty from the 19th century, though colonial is a nebulous term, since Canada stayed a colony much longer) and it was the most important city in the Thirteen Colonies obviously and arguably all English colonies of that period. The French Quarter is about .5 sq mile of almost continious colonial Spanish and French architecture, similarly Vieux Quebec seems close in size(though there's a massive fort as well that takes up a lot of room), I don't know the actual size of Old City and Society Hill in Philadelphia, or how many colonial buildings are still around adjacent to those neighborhoods. The very oldest cities in the US and Canada will often have remaining 17th and 18th Century buildings, but most of the buildings in the core are 19th Century of later.

The history of any of these though doesn't compare to somewhere like Mexico City where the Spanish built colonial buildings on a much, much grander scale--dating back to the 16th Century.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by JerseyGirl415

Interesting, I definitely learned some things about Baltimore I didn't know.

I just think the immigration wave of the 19th-20th century was significant because we opened our doors to so many people from Europe. There was no applying for citizenship, paying to become an American, or illegal immigration. Once they were cleared through Ellis Island, they were legal American citizens. They came with next to nothing and were instant citizens. It was just a different time. I think it was significant for this reason, and for the impact it had on this whole region. Sure, immigrants still come to New York and to the US and it's certainly an immigrant city, but those 50 years or so I truly find to have been special for a few reasons. We would not have the long-lasting Northeastern/NYC are Italian-American, Irish-American, Jewish cultural connotation that we do today if it were not for that period of time specifically in New York but also the greater Northeast.

You had to have lived in the US for five years before becoming a citizen, from 1790 on. https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/...nd_Citizenship

I've seen my husband's grandfather's citizenship papers. He was here exactly five years when he became a citizen in 1907. It kind of gave me a thrill to see that handwritten paper.

[Frank Bones]

Originally Posted by CanuckInPortland

Philadelphia probably has the most remaining old 18th-Century English colonial architecture in North America(though some Canadian cities have plenty from the 19th century, though colonial is a nebulous term, since Canada stayed a colony much longer) and it was the most important city in the Thirteen Colonies obviously and arguably all English colonies of that period. The French Quarter is about .5 sq mile of almost continious colonial Spanish and French architecture, similarly Vieux Quebec seems close in size(though there's a massive fort as well that takes up a lot of room), I don't know the actual size of Old City and Society Hill in Philadelphia, or how many colonial buildings are still around adjacent to those neighborhoods. The very oldest cities in the US and Canada will often have remaining 17th and 18th Century buildings, but most of the buildings in the core are 19th Century of later.

The history of any of these though doesn't compare to somewhere like Mexico City where the Spanish built colonial buildings on a much, much grander scale--dating back to the 16th Century.

Structures that pre-date the American Revolution are rare in American cities. Most buildings constructed during the 18th century were made of wood and have not survived. The residential buildings that did survive are typically the houses of the wealthy, who could afford to use better building materials like brick. There are some scattered examples of Georgian architecture in Philadelphia (and to a lesser extent, Boston), but they are actually quite unusual. The southern side of Elfreth's Alley is a good example of Georgian architecture. These homes are especially rare, because few working-class homes from that era exist in America. Here's another example in the Queen Village neighborhood.

Most of the homes of Society Hill in Philadelphia are not "colonial" at all but are classic examples of Federal architecture, a style that was popular from the late 1780's into the early 1830's. The houses of Boston's Beacon Hill also date to this era. Many of the houses in New York's West Village and Brooklyn Heights are in this style too, though they were constructed slightly later.

The French Quarter is not as old as you might think either. New Orleans was ravaged by two fires in 1788 and 1794, which destroyed nearly all of the original French colonial architecture. Many of the buildings in the French Quarter were built in the aftermath of these two fires when New Orleans was a Spanish colony. Of course, there were still a lot of French-speaking Creoles living in New Orleans well into the 19th century. These Creoles retained their French taste in architecture. Hence, the houses in French Quarter look different than their contemporaries in Philadelphia, New York, and Boston.

[nei]

Originally Posted by CanuckInPortland

I don't know how true that tidbit really is. In 1750, Dublin had a population of 90,000 and rose to 165,000 by 1800. In 1750 Edinburgh had a population around 57,000 while Bristol had a population of around 45,000--and those cities grew larger in the late 18th Century. Philadelphia had a population of 28,522 in 1790 and even with Southwark and Northern Liberties would have only been about 45,000, maybe 60,000 by 1800. By 1800 in just England, Manchester had a population of 90,000, Liverpool had a population of 80,000 and Birmingham and Bristol had populations over 60,000.

Philadelphia County had a population of 81,000 in 1800 and 54,300 in 1790. Probably nearly was connected to Philadelphia. Still going by your numbers, Dublin was larger and several British cities were slightly larger. London was on a completely different scale. But going by amount of early 1800s and earlier buildings, I think Philadelphia wins at being the historic in the US. New York City might have come close if not as much were demolished for newer, larger buildings.

[nei]

Originally Posted by Frank Bones

Structures that pre-date the American Revolution are rare in American cities. Most buildings constructed during the 18th century were made of wood and have not survived. The residential buildings that did survive are typically the houses of the wealthy, who could afford to use better building materials like brick.

I've seen a number of pre-1780 housing in my area. Wooden home survive better in small town or rural areas as urban fires were a frequent hazard back then. And the old homes of bigger cities lie in the city center, and were torn down for downtown buildings or much denser residential. [For example, it doesn't make economic sense for small wooden homes in Boston's North End — with fast population growth and demand, brick tenements made more sense, and that's what we see now]

I suspect Salem may have more 18th century homes than Boston despite being less than half the size then.

[JMatl]

I haven't explored this entire huge thread, but the obvious answer to me is St. Augustine.

[Frank Bones]

Originally Posted by nei

I've seen a number of pre-1780 housing in my area. Wooden home survive better in small town or rural areas as urban fires were a frequent hazard back then. And the old homes of bigger cities lie in the city center, and were torn down for downtown buildings or much denser residential. [For example, it doesn't make economic sense for small wooden homes in Boston's North End — with fast population growth and demand, brick tenements made more sense, and that's what we see now]

I suspect Salem may have more 18th century homes than Boston despite being less than half the size then.

Exactly, that's why I said in American cities. Most colonial-era housing in this country is found outside city centers.

[Frank Bones]

Originally Posted by JMatl

I haven't explored this entire huge thread, but the obvious answer to me is St. Augustine.

St. Augustine is the oldest city in the U.S. continuously occupied by people of European descent, but except for the fort, hardly nothing remains of the original Spanish settlement.

[Northernest Southernest C]

1661 - David Jones first European settler to build a home in Baltimore and surrounding metro.
1743 - First professional sports organization in the United States - Maryland Jockey Club
1773 - First US stage coach route - Baltimore to Philadelphia
1774 - First Post Office System in the United States
1778 - First independent corps in the Revolutionary War Army- organized by Count Casimir Pulaski
1782 - Lexington Market the world’s largest, continuously running market
1783 - First dredger in the world - the Baltimore Mud Machine, was invented by Andrew and John Ellicot.
1784 - First balloon ascension in the US with a person on board - Edward Warren
1784 - First Methodist church in America- Lovely Lane Meeting House
1785 - First general meeting of the Quakers
1785 - First church of the United Brethren
1789 - First Catholic diocese in the U.S.
1790 - The Baltimore Clippers (a war ship) first built
1791 - First Roman Catholic seminary in the U.S. St. Mary's Seminary
1792 - The first monument to Columbus in the United States
1792 - First water company chartered in the United States - Baltimore Water Company.
1796 - First Sunday newspaper in America- Monitor
1796 - First sugar refinery in the U.S. Domino Sugar - founded by Garts and Leypoldt
1797 - First US war ship to capture an enemy vessel - Constellation
1798 - First fort built by U.S. Government – Fort McHenry national Monument and Historic Shrine
1799 - First Swedenborgain church-erected at Exeter and Baltimore Street
1800 - Fist investment banking house in America- founded by Alexander Brown
1803 - First electric refrigerator- invented by Thomas Moore
1804 - First stationary store- Lucas Brothers
1806 - America's first cathedral Baltimore Basilica
1811 - First U.S. company to import and consumer package teas – Martin Gillet and Company
1814 - Birthplace of the Star-Spangled Banner - written by Francis Scott Key at Fort McHenry
1815 - The Battle Monument is the oldest stone monument in the country and first public war memorial
1815 - First manufacturers of silverware in the United States - Samuel Kirk Company
1815 - The first permanent monument to George Washington was commenced the Baltimore Washington Monument.
1816 - First city to illuminate streets with hydrogen gas
1817 - First independent Unitarian church- formed at 21 Hanover Street, home of Henry Payson
1817 - First annual conference of the African Methodist Episcopal church
1819 - First Odd Fellows lodge in the U.S.- organized by Thomas Wildey and others
1819 - First gaslight company in the country- Gas Light Company of Baltimore
1820 - First canning of oysters- by Thomas Kennett
1828 - First American umbrella factory - William Beehler
1828 - First railroad for commercial transportation of passengers and freight B & O railroad
1829 - First black Catholic religious order of nuns- Oblate Sisters of Providence
1830 - First coal burning steam locomotive built - Tom Thumb
1830 - First operating railroad depot in the US - Mt. Clare Station
1831 - First national nominating convention for President of the United States
1836 - First regular steam vessel to cross the Atlantic from the U.S - "City of Kingston"
1836 - First car ferry used in the U.S. was built in Baltimore for the Susquehanna River
1839 - First commercial canning of corn
1840 - First dental college in the world- Baltimore College of Dental Surgery
1840 - First steam boating company in the U.S. - Baltimore steam packet Co.
1844 - First public supported high schools for girls - Eastern High School and Western High School
1844 - World's first telegraph line established between Baltimore and Washington - Samuel Morse
1848 - First ice cream freezer - patented by W. G. Young
1849 - First teachers college for women - Baltimore Female College (Goucher College)
1850 - Shaved iced/snowballs egg custard flavor invented
1853 - First Radial heater for the home - at Mansion Alexandrffsky
1854 - First Jewish Community Center I the U.S. - (YMHA) Young Men's Hebrew Association
1856 - First Elevator to be operated by electrical power - invented by James Bates
1859 - First YMCA - Pratt and Schroeder Streets
1859 - First American horse drawn street car line was done so in Fell's Point
1869 - First black labor union - Colored Businessmen's Association, organized by Isacc Meyers
1869 - First candy factory to produce licorice - J.S. Young Company
1875 - The first monument to Edgar Allan Poe
1876 - The first research university in the Western Hemisphere Johns Hopkins University
1878 - First animal welfare association - American Humane Society
1878 - The Johns Hopkins University Press is the oldest continuously running university press in the United States
1879 - First synthetic sweetening agent - Saccharine, developed at Johns Hopkins University
1883 - First public financed vocational school in the U.S. - Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
1884 - First typesetting machine in the world - invented by Ottmar Mergenthaler
1885 - First commercial electric street car line - Baltimore to Hampden
1886 - First public Library System with branches to allow women and African Americans Enoch Pratt Free Library
1890 - First steam tanker built in America The Maverick by W.T.Malster
1890 - Roland Park is the first planned "suburban" community in North America.
1891 - First commercial stomach antacid seltzer - Bromo-Seltzer, made by Captain Isaac E. Emerson
1892 - First bottle caps with crown cork in the U.S.- Crown Cork and Seal
1892 - First Ouija board also know as the spirit board or talking board- invented and patented by Isaac and William Fuld
1895 - First Catholic college for women - Notre Dame College
1895 - First electronic railway locomotive in the world - put in service by the B&O
1896 - First Multi-store shopping center building in the country - Roland Park Marketplace
1897 - First country day school in the U.S. - Gilman School
1897 - First practical submarine in the US - "Argonaut," invented by Simon Lake
1900 - First time duckpin bowling introduced - at Diamond Bowling Alleys
1901 - First woman professor at a U.S. medical School - Dr. Florence Rena Sabin
1906 - First city magazine- Baltimore Magazine
1911 - First international women's volunteer organization - Hadassah, founded by Henrietta Szold
1916 - First portable electric drill with pistol grip - Black & Decker
1916 - First municipal orchestra supported by public funds - Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
1917 - First gas station with pumps enabling a driver to see the amount of gasoline being pumped
1920 - First factory to manufacture stainless steel - Rustless Iron & Steel Company
1921 - First National Guard Air Squadron started - Logan Field
1921 - First black musical on Broadway - written by Baltimorean Eubie Blake, Shuffle Along
1922 - First nationwide presidential radio broadcast - by President Warren G. Harding
1925 - First triple combination fireboat in service - operated by Baltimore City Fire Dept
1926 - The first women's lacrosse team in the United States was established at Bryn Mawr School
1932 - First producer of venetian blinds in the United States - Eastern Venetian Blind Company
1936 - First black newspaper chain- Afro-American Newspaper
1946 - First photograph of earth from space - produced at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
1948 - First Stratovision television telecast
1959 - First Mobile microwave television tower
1964 - First Permanent Building in the U.S to have a revolving restaurant - Holiday Inn, Downtown
1966 - First baseball player to be named MVP in both leagues - Frank Robinson
1966 - First male-to-female sex reassignment surgery in the United States at Johns Hopkins Gender Identity Clinic
1967 - First African-American to serve on the US supreme Court - Baltimorean Thurgood Marshall
1975 - First native born U.S. Citizen to be canonized as a saint - Elizabeth Seton (born 1809)
1983 - First African American wax museum - The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum
1987 - Ben Carson first surgeon to successfully separate conjoined twins conjoined at the back of the head at Johns Hopkins Hospital
1989 - Camden Yards first of the "retro" major league ballparks
1995 - First American city to win championship in the Canadian Football League - Baltimore Stallions