MISSOURI- ST. GENEVIEVE
Established: 1735
The actual year that St. Genevieve was founded is unknown, but historians believe that French-Canadian settlers could have lived here as early as 1735. It was the first civilized settlement in Missouri, included originally in Illinois Country.
MONTANA- STEVENSVILLE
Established: 1841
This “oldest town” was founded by Catholic missionaries in 1841 and was named initially St. Mary’s Mission, then Fort Owen. It was finally called Stevensville after Issac Stevens, the first Governor of the Montana territory.
NEBRASKA- BELLEVUE
Established: 1822
A settlement was constructed by Joshua Pilcher, who was then the president of the Missouri Fur Company. This “oldest town” is the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in Nebraska, being first established as a trading post and moved to its current location in 1835.
I lived in NJ for many years and Newark wasn’t far from one of the towns I lived in. I also lived in D.C. and traveled to Williamsburg which is definitely worth the trip.
I found the history of these towns relative to Native Americans settling them poignant since these people were replaced by white men. We then put them in “reservations.” Not a very proud history.
My city, Victoria, Texas was founded in 1824 by Spanish Settlers under Martin DeLeon . It was named for Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe de Jesus Victoria and Guadalupe Victoria, the first Mexican president. We are 201 years old now.
Lahaina is another, located on Maui, Hawaii.
Gloucester MA., Established in 1623.
St. Augustine – oldest continuously occupied, but Pensacola was established in 1559 by Don Tristan de Luna and Spanish settlers and is America’s First (European) Settlement. The king and queen of Spain visited Pensacola in 2009 to commemorate the 450th anniversary of the 1559 Luna Expedition which established Pensacola. Magellan’s ship Elcano visited last year. Lots of heritage for both cities.