America’s Oldest Homes: A Journey Through Time

Scott

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posted on 1 year ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Step inside the past with the 5 oldest houses in the U.S.—centuries-old homes that still stand, telling stories from before America was even a country.

Ah, the creaky floorboards, hand-hewn beams, and the ghosts of powdered wigs past! If walls could talk, these homes would be spinning colonial tea party gossip and whispering tales from before America was even America. Here are the Top 5 Oldest Houses in the United States—where every splinter is historic:

1. Fairbanks House (Dedham, Massachusetts) – c. 1637

Claim to Fame: Widely considered the oldest wooden house still standing in North America.
Backstory: Built by Puritan settler Jonathan Fairbanks, this timber-framed charmer has survived since the reign of King Charles I.
Bonus: It stayed in the same family for eight generations!

2. C.A. Nothnagle Log House (Gibbstown, New Jersey) – c. 1638

Claim to Fame: Oldest log cabin in the U.S.
Backstory: Constructed by Finnish or Swedish settlers in the former New Sweden colony. You can still see the original Scandinavian notching.
Fun Fact: It was built before New Jersey was a British colony.

3. Henry Whitfield House (Guilford, Connecticut) – c. 1639

Claim to Fame: Oldest stone house in New England.
Backstory: Built for Reverend Henry Whitfield, who fled religious persecution. Thick stone walls doubled as defense against possible attacks.
Vibe: Think "Pilgrim fortress."

4. Richard Sparrow House (Plymouth, Massachusetts) – c. 1640

Claim to Fame: Oldest surviving house in Plymouth—home of Thanksgiving’s origin story.
Backstory: Built by English surveyor Richard Sparrow just a couple of decades after the Mayflower landed.
Current Use: It’s now a museum and art gallery.

5. James Blake House (Boston, Massachusetts) – c. 1661

Claim to Fame: Oldest house in Boston, standing since before the Salem witch trials.
Backstory: A fine example of West England-style post-medieval timber framing.
Historical Bonus: It was moved about 500 feet in 1896 to save it from demolition!