Cities with "Old" in Their Name
"Old" is a word that gets added to a town's name when something newer comes along to threaten it. A new road bypasses the original settlement — and suddenly it becomes "Old" Town. A larger city incorporates a neighbouring village — and the original becomes "Old" something. In America, where newness was always celebrated, calling a place "Old" was often a badge of pride: a claim to history, continuity, and roots in a country that spent two centuries trying to leave the past behind.
Quick Stats
By the Numbers
Top 10 States by City Count
Cities by U.S. Region
Most Common Name Patterns
| City Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Old Town | 17 |
| Oldtown | 9 |
| Oldham | 7 |
| Old Fort | 5 |
| Old City | 5 |
| Oldfield | 4 |
| Oldenburg | 4 |
| Old Farm | 4 |
Notable Cities
The most historically and culturally significant cities on this list.
Old Town, Arkansas
Penobscot Nation homeland and Old Town Canoe headquarters
Old Town sits on Marsh Island in the Penobscot River in central Maine. The Penobscot Indian Nation — one of Maine's four federally recognized tribes — has their government on Indian Island here, maintaining sovereignty within the city's bounds. Old Town Canoe, one of North America's oldest canoe manufacturers, has been building canoes here since 1898 and helped define paddling culture in America.
How far is Old Town from me? →Old Greenwich, Connecticut
Historic Connecticut shore village with Gold Coast character
Old Greenwich is a historic village within the town of Greenwich, Connecticut, sitting on a peninsula between Greenwich Cove and Long Island Sound. Among the wealthiest communities in America, it was part of the original purchase from the Siwanoy people in 1640. Its village center, with independent shops and restaurants, retains a character distinct from surrounding suburbs, and Tod's Point beach is one of Connecticut's finest.
How far is Old Greenwich from me? →Old Saybrook, Connecticut
Connecticut's original Yale site and gateway to the Connecticut shoreline
Old Saybrook was one of the earliest English settlements in Connecticut, established in 1635 at the mouth of the Connecticut River. Yale College was founded here in 1701 before moving to New Haven. The town sits where the Connecticut River meets Long Island Sound, giving it a seafaring identity that persists in its working marinas and historic buildings. Katharine Hepburn was a longtime resident and is buried here.
How far is Old Saybrook from me? →Old Orchard Beach, Maine
Maine's classic seaside amusement resort with a seven-mile beach
Old Orchard Beach has been Maine's quintessential seaside resort since the 1880s, when train service from Boston made it accessible to working families. Its seven-mile stretch of hard-packed white sand is one of New England's finest beaches. The Palace Playland amusement park — the only beachfront amusement park remaining in New England — and its pier extending into the Atlantic are beloved local institutions. The town draws a large French-Canadian population each summer.
How far is Old Orchard Beach from me? →Old Forge, New York
Adirondack gateway town and snowmobile capital of the East
Old Forge sits at the western gateway of New York's Adirondack Park, the largest publicly protected area in the contiguous U.S. It calls itself the Snowmobile Capital of the East — the surrounding trail network encompasses over 500 miles. Paddlers use Old Forge as the starting point for the 90-mile Fulton Chain-Raquette Lake route, one of the great canoe journeys in the Northeast.
How far is Old Forge from me? →