County Past
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Plymouth County, Massachusetts

Historic newspapers, landmarks, and county history layers for genealogists and local historians.

—newspaper titles
—digitized titles
148historic places
—earliest paper
1685formed
530,819pop. 2020
148cemeteries
—CW battlefields

At a glance

Summary

The National Register of Historic Places includes 148 listed properties in the county, first listed in 1966; 7 are also National Historic Landmarks. Most listings are in or near Plymouth, Brockton, Duxbury.

Summary generated automatically from the source data on this page.

Newspapers

Library of Congress

Newspaper directory data for Massachusetts is not yet loaded on this site. Browse Plymouth titles at the Library of Congress.

National Register of Historic Places

NPS NRHP

80 of 148 listings mapped; some locations are restricted by NPS to protect sensitive sites.

148 listed properties
PropertyCityTypeListed
Adams, Frederic C., Public LibraryKingstonBuilding2001
Alden, John and Priscilla, Family Sites NHLDuxburyBuilding1978
Bartlett-Russell-Hedge HousePlymouthBuilding1976
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church and ParsonagePlymouthBuilding2007
Bird Island LightMarionStructure1987
Blanchard Plat Historic DistrictBrocktonDistrict2025
Bradford HouseKingstonBuilding2006
Bradford, Capt. Gamaliel, HouseDuxburyBuilding1978
Bradford, Capt. Gershom, HouseDuxburyBuilding1978
Bradford, Captain Daniel, HouseDuxburyBuilding1986
Bradford-Union Street Historic DistrictPlymouthDistrict1983
Bridgewater Iron WorksBridgewaterDistrict2002
Brockton City HallBrocktonBuilding1976
Brockton Edison Electric Illuminating Company Power StationBrocktonBuilding1987
Brockton VA Hospital Historic DistrictBrocktonDistrict2022
Bryant-Cushing HouseNorwellBuilding1976
Camp Kiwanee Historic DistrictHansonDistrict2005
Cardinal Cushing Center Historic DistrictHanoverDistrict2018
Central Fire StationBrocktonBuilding1977
Centre and Montello Streets Historic DistrictBrocktonDistrict2015
Chubbuck, Thomas, Jr., HouseHinghamBuilding1992
Clifford-Warren HousePlymouthBuilding1980
Cole's Hill NHLPlymouthSite1966
Commonwealth Shoe and Leather Co.WhitmanBuilding2014
Conant's Hill SiteWarehamSite1983
Cove Street Historic DistrictDuxburyDistrict2019
Curtis BuildingBrocktonBuilding1982
Cushing HomesteadHinghamBuilding1973
Dean, Dr. Edgar Everett, HouseBrocktonBuilding1978
District 7 School HouseHansonBuilding2005
Duxbury Pier LightPlymouthStructure2014
East Bridgewater Common Historic DistrictEast BridgewaterDistrict1999
East Rochester Church and Cemetery Historic DistrictRochesterDistrict2008
Emerson Shoe CompanyRocklandBuilding2018
Field, D.W., ParkBrocktonSite2000
First Baptist Church of ScituateScituateBuilding2015
First Parish ChurchDuxburyBuilding1978
First Parish Church of PlymouthPlymouthBuilding2014
First Trinitarian Congregational ChurchScituateBuilding2002
Forest Avenue SchoolBrocktonBuilding1982
Franklin BlockBrocktonBuilding1989
Goldthwaite BlockBrocktonBuilding1982
Grand Army of the Republic HallRocklandBuilding1997
Graves Light StationHullStructure1987
Hanover Center Historic DistrictHanoverDistrict1996
Harlow Old Fort HousePlymouthBuilding1974
Harlow, Sgt. William, Family HomesteadPlymouthBuilding1982
Hatch Homestead and Mill Historic DistrictMarshfieldDistrict2009
HillsidePlymouthBuilding1975
Holy Family Church Complex Historic DistrictRocklandDistrict2025
Howard BlockBrocktonBuilding1982
Howard Home for Aged MenBrocktonBuilding2016
Howland, Jabez, HousePlymouthBuilding1974
Hull Shore Drive, Nantasket Avenue, Metropolitan Park System of Greater Boston MPSHullDistrict2004
Island Grove Park National Register DistrictAbingtonDistrict2002
James, Capt. Benjamin, HouseScituateBuilding1983
King Caesar HouseDuxburyBuilding1978
Kingman, Gardner J., HouseBrocktonBuilding1977
Kingston Center Historic DistrictKingstonDistrict2002
Lawson TowerScituate CenterStructure1976
Leonard. Shaw & Dean Shoe FactoryMiddleboroughBuilding2018
Lincoln Historic DistrictHinghamDistrict1991
Lincoln, Gen. Benjamin, House NHLHinghamBuilding1972
Lower Union Street Historic DistrictRocklandDistrict1989
Lyman BlockBrocktonBuilding1982
MAYFLOWER II (square-rigged sailing ship)PlymouthStructure2020
Marshfield Hills Historic DistrictMarshfieldDistrict2009
McElwain, William H., SchoolBridgewaterBuilding2013
Men of Kent CemeteryScituateSite2013
Middleborough Center Historic DistrictMiddleboroughDistrict2000
Middleborough WaterworksMiddleboroughDistrict1990
Minot's Ledge LightScituateStructure1987
Muttock Historic and Archeological DistrictMiddleboroughDistrict2000
Myles Standish Burial GroundDuxburySite2015
Myles Standish Park and Myles Standish House SiteDuxburySite2021
National Monument to the ForefathersPlymouthObject1974
Ned Point LightMattpoisettStructure1987
New England Telephone and Telegraph Engineering OfficeBrocktonBuilding2019
North Abington DepotNorth AbingtonBuilding1976
North Downtown Historic DistrictBrocktonDistrict2024
North Rochester Congregational ChurchRochesterBuilding2008
Norwell Village Area Historic DistrictNorwellDistrict1982
Old Burial HillPlymouthDistrict2013
Old County CourthousePlymouthBuilding1972
Old Post Office BuildingBrocktonBuilding1978
Old Ship Meetinghouse NHLHinghamBuilding1966
Old Shipbuilder's Historic DistrictDuxburyDistrict1986
Old Town Hall Historic DistrictDuxburyDistrict2021
Packard, Moses, HouseBrocktonBuilding1978
Paragon Park CarouselHullStructure1999
Parting Ways Archeological DistrictPlymouthDistrict1979
Pembroke Friends MeetinghousePembrokeBuilding2006
Phoenix BuildingRocklandBuilding1989
Pierce, Peter, StoreMiddleboroBuilding1976
Pilgrim HallPlymouthBuilding1972
Pillsbury Summer HouseDuxburyBuilding2004
Pinewoods CampPlymouthDistrict2009
Plymouth Antiquarian HousePlymouthBuilding1974
Plymouth Light StationDuxburyStructure1977
Plymouth Post Office BuildingPlymouthBuilding1986
Plymouth RockPlymouthObject1970
Plymouth Village Historic DistrictPlymouthDistrict1982
Plympton Village Historic DistrictPlymptonDistrict2007
Point Allerton Lifesaving StationHullBuilding1981
Reed, H.R., HouseMarionBuilding2019
Rockland AlmshouseRocklandBuilding1983
Rockland High SchoolRocklandBuilding1989
Rockland Memorial LibraryRocklandBuilding1989
Rockland Trust CompanyRocklandBuilding1989
Rocky Marciano HouseBrocktonBuilding2025
Sachem Rock FarmEast BridgewaterDistrict2006
Sampson-White Joiner Shop NHLDuxbury
Sampson-White Joiner Shop NHLDuxbury
School Street-Main Street Historic DistrictBrocktonDistrict2025
Scituate LightScituateStructure1987
Sever, William, HouseKingstonBuilding2019
Skim Milk Bridge and Causeway Historic DistrictWest BridgewaterDistrict2025
Snow Fountain and ClockBrocktonObject1977
South Hingham Historic DistrictHinghamDistrict1998
South Middleborough Historic DistrictMiddleboroughDistrict2009
South Street Historic DistrictBrocktonDistrict1983
Sparrow, Richard, HousePlymouthBuilding1974
Standish, Alexander, HouseDuxburyBuilding1978
Stetson HouseHanoverBuilding1979
Stetson-Ford HouseNorwellBuilding1998
Tack Factory, TheNorwellBuilding1980
Tarklin SchoolDuxburyBuilding2009
Telegraph HillHullDistrict1976
Third MeetinghouseMattapoisettBuilding1976
Thomas-Webster EstateMarshfieldBuilding1993
Thumb, Tom, HouseMiddleboroughBuilding1993
Tobey HomesteadWarehamBuilding1986
Town Brook Historic and Archeological DistrictPlymouthDistrict1995
Town HallLakevilleBuilding1976
Tremont Nail Factory DistrictWarehamDistrict1976
US Post Office-Middleborough MainMiddleboroughBuilding1987
WITCH (catboat)WarehamSite2008
WPA Field HouseScituateBuilding2009
Wampanoag Royal CemeteryMiddleboroSite1975
Wampanucket SiteMiddleboroSite1973
War Memorial ParkWest BridgewaterSite2008
Washburn, C.P., Grain MillMiddleboroBuilding1980
Webster, Daniel, Law Office and Library NHLMarshfieldBuilding1974
Whitman ParkWhitmanSite2004
Winslow CemeteryMarshfieldSite2018
Winslow, Isaac, HouseMarshfieldBuilding2000
Woodworth HouseScituateBuilding1996
Wright Memorial LibraryDuxburyBuilding2007

Source: National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Property links open NRHP nomination files at the National Archives.

County formation

Newberry AHCB

Plymouth was formed in 1685 (1685-06-02) from unknown / original county.

PLYMOUTH created as one of three original counties in New Plymouth Colony.

Source: Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

Population by decade

Census

Plymouth County population from 1790 to 2020 (Census historical series).

531k280k30k179018001840188019101920196020002020
17901800182018401860188019001920194019501960198020002020
29,53530,07338,13647,37364,76874,018113,985156,968168,824189,468248,449405,437472,822530,819

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau historical county population (Forstall 1790–1990) and public-domain / CC0 county population series through 2020.

National Park Service sites nearby

NPS

Park units within about 40 km of the county centroid (from NPS Public POIs; no API key).

SiteTypeDist.
Adams National Historical ParkNational Historical Park36.9 km
Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation AreaNational Recreation Area38.2 km
Cape Cod National SeashoreNational Seashore55.2 km

Source: NPS National Datasets / Public POIs. The NPS Developer API requires a free key and was not used.

Cemeteries & historical places

USGS GNIS

148 cemeteries and 1 historical populated places (ghost towns / former settlements) recorded in USGS GNIS for this county.

Cemeteries — 80 of 148 listed
NameLatLon
Adams Street Burying Ground Site (historical)42.12604-70.94342
Agawam Cemetery41.74626-70.69094
Alms House Cemetery41.87465-70.90831
Ashdod Cemetery42.06702-70.75263
Ashley Cemetery41.78025-70.90576
Barlow Cemetery41.66416-70.8232
Beal Cemetery42.13633-70.90169
Beaver Cemetery42.04735-70.97824
Bicknell Family Tomb42.09869-70.95072
Bowker Family Cemetery42.17277-70.82547
Briggs Burying Ground Cemetery42.09674-70.79498
Burial Hill Cemetery41.9562-70.66582
Calvary Cemetery42.09229-71.0038
Cedarville Cemetery41.80509-70.55639
Cemetery at The Green41.90901-70.88291
Center Cemetery41.7303-70.81918
Central Cemetery41.89606-70.9246
Central Cemetery42.03073-70.95553
Central Cemetery41.88631-70.76898
Central Cemetery41.84167-70.72452
Centre Cemetery41.7703-70.72717
Chevra Tilum Cemetery42.05569-71.06767
Chiltonville Cemetery41.93892-70.62837
Church Hill Cemetery42.12334-70.80637
Clark Cemetery41.81022-70.91943
Cobb Family Burying Ground (historical)42.129-70.97466
Cole's Hill Sarcophagus41.95734-70.66247
Colebrook Cemetery42.08507-70.9319
Conant Street Cemetery41.96677-70.96407
Coweeset Cemetery42.05642-71.066
Cushing Cemetery41.66259-70.82489
Cushing Family Tomb Site42.12954-70.95032
Dingley Cemetery42.06526-70.7261
Elmwood Cemetery42.00921-70.95835
Evergreen Cemetery41.99607-70.73437
Evergreen Cemetery41.99593-70.7342
Fern Hill Cemetery42.06218-70.87111
First Cemetery41.98878-70.97312
First Parish Cemetery42.16099-70.79185
First Roman Catholic Cemetery41.99784-70.98875
First Saint Thomas Aquinas Cemetery41.9979-70.98923
Fort Hill Cemetery42.23343-70.90449
Gould Family Burying Ground Cemetery42.12604-70.95652
Great Woods Cemetery41.94174-70.95154
Groveland Cemetery42.21352-70.7759
Hammond Cemetery41.66395-70.83528
Hanover Center Cemetery42.11997-70.84428
Harlow - Savery Cemetery41.84585-70.54301
Harlow Cemetery41.97752-70.91598
Haskins Cemetery41.87141-70.95937
High Street Cemetery42.21681-70.88714
Hillcrest Cemetery41.95793-70.81461
Hillside Cemetery41.77525-70.78861
Hillside Cemetery42.13658-70.97632
Hillside Cemetery41.97211-70.94678
Holy Family Cemetery42.11568-70.91817
Howland Cemetery41.79494-70.99279
Hull Cemetery42.30508-70.90211
Hunt Family Tomb Site42.12853-70.94883
Indian Cemetery41.78642-70.56648
Island Grove Cemetery42.11253-70.93898
James Cemetery42.17615-70.74421
Jennings Hill Cemetery41.99687-70.93246
Lakenham Cemetery41.91133-70.80263
Leach Cemetery42.08133-70.98546
Little Cemetery42.1343-70.71132
Long Neck Cemetery41.7459-70.63622
Magoun Cemetery42.11288-70.76112
Manomet Cemetery41.92454-70.56892
Maplewood Cemetery42.13708-70.89769
Mayflower Cemetery42.03339-70.69364
McCully Cemetery41.81805-70.96927
Melrose Cemetery42.09313-71.06683
Men of Kent Cemetery42.18863-70.72925
Merritt Cemetery42.20336-70.78694
Mount Hope Cemetery42.2019-70.80997
Mount Pleasant Cemetery42.1436-70.91415
Mount Prospect Cemetery41.99029-70.98366
Mount Vernon Cemetery42.12011-70.93998
Mount Zion Cemetery42.08489-70.9377
Historical populated places — 1 of 1
NameLatLon
Patuxet41.95844-70.66726

Source: USGS Geographic Names Information System (public domain). Cemeteries from the 2021 NationalFile archive; historical places from GNIS HistoricalFeatures topical extract.

Historical markers

HMdb link

Marker text and photos from the Historical Marker Database (HMdb) are not embedded here. HMdb allows non-commercial reuse with attribution, but commercial/compensated use needs written permission; this is a commercial site, so we only link out.

Search HMdb for Plymouth County, Massachusetts

Terms: hmdb.org/copyright.asp. Linking is encouraged by HMdb.