100 Towns Founded Before the American Revolution

French settlers led by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis founded the city, near a Natchitoches Native American village on the Red River.

First settled by the French, Natchez is the oldest city established along the Mississippi River.

New Orleans, also called “Crescent City” because it was built on a sharp bend of the Mississippi River, was founded by French settlers.

San Antonio got its name from Spanish settlers in 1691, but the city was not founded until 1718, when its first mission and first presidio were established.

Trenton is named after one of its leading landowners, William Trent, and was first called “Trent-towne.”

Settled by colonists, Walpole was named after pro-colonist British prime minister Sir Robert Walpole at the time.

The French incorporated the town of Kaskaskia that was given special rights by King Louis XV. The town is located on Kaskaskia Island.

People first settled in Methuen in 1642 when the area was still part of Haverhill. The town was officially incorporated in 1725 and named in honor of Sir Paul Methuen, a member of the King’s Privy Council and a friend of acting Provincial Governor William Dummer. Methuen was organized as a city in 1917.

Pilgrims used to land in Provincetown Harbor before traveling to Plymouth. The first permanent settlement in Provincetown was established nearly 100 years after the Pilgrims began landing there.

Georgetown is the third oldest city in South Carolina. Its history goes back to 1526 when it was probably the site of the first European settlement in North America. The first permanent settlers were English and they were involved in the Indian trade. Georgetown was founded in 1729 and became an official port of entry in 1732.