This list of the oldest companies in the United States includes brands and companies, excluding associations, educational, government or religious organizations. To be listed, a brand or company name must remain, either whole or in part, since inception. To limit the scope of this list, only companies established before 1820 are listed. If the original name has since changed due to acquisitions or renaming, this must be verifiable. Entries in grey indicate that the companies have endured some significant change in their status or condition.
Year | Company | Location | Field | Reference | Notes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1613 | Shirley Plantation | data-sort-value="Virginia, Charles City County" | Charles City County, Virginia | Farm | [1] [2] [3] | |||||||
1623 | Avedis Zildjian Company | data-sort-value="Massachusetts, Norwell" | Norwell, Massachusetts | Music Company | Founded in Istanbul, moved to the U.S. in 1929. | |||||||
1632-33 | Tuttle's Red Barn | data-sort-value="New Hampshire, Dover" | Dover, New Hampshire | Farm | [4] [5] [6] | |||||||
1639 | Field View Farm | data-sort-value="Connecticut, Orange" | Orange, Connecticut | Farm | [7] [8] | |||||||
1642 | Barker's Farm | data-sort-value="Massachusetts, North Andover" | North Andover, Massachusetts | Farm | [9] [10] [11] | |||||||
1648-1651, 1662 (as retail) | Shirokiya | data-sort-value="Hawaii, Honolulu" | Honolulu, Hawaii | Lacquer, Retail | [12] [13] | Founded in Tokyo, moved to the U.S. in 1958. Defunct in 2021. | ||||||
1667 | Seaside Inn | data-sort-value="Maine, Kennebunkport" | Kennebunkport, Maine | Hotel | [14] [15] | |||||||
1670 | Hudson's Bay Company | data-sort-value="New York, New York City" | New York City | Retail | [16] | Founded in England by Royal Charter, headquartered today in Toronto and New York City | ||||||
1673 | White Horse Tavern | data-sort-value="Rhode Island, Newport" | Newport, Rhode Island | Restaurant | [17] [18] | |||||||
1680 | Saunderskill | data-sort-value="New York, Accord" | Accord, New York | Farm | [19] [20] | |||||||
1690 | Towle Silversmiths | data-sort-value="Massachusetts, Boston" | Boston, Massachusetts | Silversmith | [21] | Absorbed by Lifetime Brands, Inc. | ||||||
1702 | J.E. Rhoads & Sons | data-sort-value="Pennsylvania; Marple" | Marple, Pennsylvania (found.) | Tannery | [22] | Closed 2009; now a brand of Mid Atlantic Industrial Belting Inc. | ||||||
1705 | The John Stevens Shop | data-sort-value="Rhode Island, Newport" | Newport, Rhode Island | Stone carver | [23] | |||||||
1711 | Orchards of Concklin | data-sort-value="New York, Pomona" | Pomona, New York | Orchard | [24] [25] | |||||||
1720s | Smiling Hill Farm | data-sort-value="Maine, Westbrook" | Westbrook, Maine | Farm (and lumber mill since 1970s) | [26] [27] | |||||||
1725 | Pottstown Roller Mill | data-sort-value="Pennsylvania, Pottstown" | Pottstown, Pennsylvania | Grain, Feed | [28] [29] | Now owned by Purina Mills. | ||||||
1736 | Lakeside Mills | data-sort-value="North Carolina, Spindale" | Spindale, North Carolina | Corn products | ||||||||
1741 | WD Cowls | data-sort-value="Massachusetts, Amherst" | Amherst, Massachusetts | Lumber | [30] | |||||||
1752 | The Philadelphia Contributionship | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Insurance | [31] | ||||||||
1752 | Caswell-Massey | data-sort-value="Rhode Island, Newport" | Newport, Rhode Island (found.) | Perfume | [32] [33] | Sold 2003–2007; re-branded 2017. | ||||||
1760 | Lorillard Tobacco Company | data-sort-value="New York City" | New York City (found.) | Tobacco | [34] [35] | Defunct 2016; brand owned by Reynolds American. | ||||||
1764–65 | Baker's | data-sort-value="Massachusetts, Dorchester" | Dorchester, Massachusetts (found.) | Chocolate, confectionery | [36] | Now a brand of Kraft Heinz. | ||||||
1764 | The Hartford Courant | data-sort-value="Connecticut, Hartford" | Hartford, Connecticut | Newspaper | [37] | |||||||
1767 | McCrady's Tavern and Long Room | data-sort-value="South Carolina, Charleston" | Charleston, South Carolina | Restaurant | Closed 2020.[38] | |||||||
1774 | Ames | data-sort-value="Massachusetts, Chicopee" | Chicopee, Massachusetts | Manufacturing | By 1907, the Ames foundries had been purchased by Chicopee's A.G. Spalding Company.[39] | |||||||
1776 | The Griswold Inn | data-sort-value="Connecticut, Essex" | Essex, Connecticut | Restaurant and Hotel | [40] [41] [42] | |||||||
1778 | Dowse Orchards | data-sort-value="Massachusetts, Sherborn" | Sherborn, Massachusetts | Farm | [43] [44] | |||||||
1778 | The Greenbrier | data-sort-value="West Virginia, White Sulphur Springs" | White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia | Hotel | [45] [46] [47] | |||||||
1778 | Willow Grove Inn | data-sort-value="Virginia, Orange" | Orange, Virginia | Hotel | [48] [49] [50] | |||||||
1779 | Old Talbott Tavern | data-sort-value="Kentucky, Bardstown" | Bardstown, Kentucky | Hotel | [51] | |||||||
1780 | Laird & Company | data-sort-value="New Jersey, Colts Neck Township" | Colts Neck Township, New Jersey | Distillery | [52] [53] [54] | |||||||
1782 | Levi Garrett | data-sort-value="New York City" | New York City (found.) | Chewing tobacco | [55] [56] | Now a brand of the American Snuff Company. | ||||||
1783 | Rawle & Henderson LLP | data-sort-value="Pennsylvania, Philadelphia" | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Law firm | [57] | |||||||
1784 | D. Landreth Seed Company | data-sort-value="Pennsylvania, Philadelphia" | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (found.) | Seeds | [58] [59] [60] | |||||||
1784 | Bank of New York | data-sort-value="New York City" | New York City | Bank | [61] [62] | Merged 2007 into The Bank of New York Mellon. | ||||||
1785 | Bixler's | data-sort-value="Pennsylvania, Allentown" | Allentown, Pennsylvania | Jewelry | [63] [64] [65] | |||||||
1785 | Turpin Farms | data-sort-value="Ohio, Cincinnati" | Cincinnati, Ohio (found.) | Farm | [66] [67] | |||||||
1786 | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | data-sort-value="Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh" | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Newspaper | [68] [69] [70] | 1787 | Hayes | Coffee | Apparently no longer extant? --> | |||
1790 | King Arthur Flour | data-sort-value="Massachusetts, Boston" | Boston, Massachusetts (found.) | Flour and baking | [71] | Now based in Norwich, Vermont. | ||||||
1792 | Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft | data-sort-value="New York City" | New York City | Law firm | [72] [73] | |||||||
1792 | Insurance Company of North America | data-sort-value="Pennsylvania, Philadelphia" | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (found.) | Insurance | Now Chubb Limited | |||||||
1792 | New York Stock Exchange | data-sort-value="New York City" | New York City | Stock Exchange | ||||||||
1792 | Old Farmer's Almanac | data-sort-value="New Hampshire, Dublin" | Dublin, New Hampshire | Almanac | [74] [75] | |||||||
1792 | State Street | data-sort-value="Massachusetts, Boston" | Boston, Massachusetts | Banking | ||||||||
1794 | Baltimore Equitable | data-sort-value="Maryland, Baltimore" | Baltimore, Maryland | Insurance | [76] [77] | |||||||
1794 | Rochester Cables | data-sort-value="Virginia, Culpeper" | Culpeper, Virginia | Cables | [78] [79] | Now a brand of TE Connectivity. | ||||||
1794 | Warner Company | data-sort-value="Delaware, Wilmington" | Wilmington, Delaware | Mining | [80] [81] | Defunct. | ||||||
1795 | Murray, Draper, Fairman & Co | data-sort-value="Pennsylvania, Philadelphia" | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Manufacturing | Merged 1858 into the American Banknote Corporation | |||||||
1795 | Dixon | data-sort-value="New Jersey, Jersey City" | Jersey City, New Jersey (found.) | Pencils | [82] [83] | Now based in Lake Mary, Florida. | ||||||
1795 | Jim Beam | data-sort-value="Kentucky, Clermont" | Clermont, Kentucky | Distillery | ||||||||
1796 | Shreve, Crump & Low | data-sort-value="Massachusetts, Boston" | Boston, Massachusetts | Jewelry | [84] [85] [86] | Brownstone at 39 Newbury Street, Boston Massachusetts with Elevator (1-617-267-9100) Accessibility | ||||||
1797 | The Birkett Mills | data-sort-value="New York, Penn Yan" | Penn Yan, New York | Mill-Buckwheat products | [87] [88] | Based in Penn Yan, New York | ||||||
1797 | Gruber's Hagerstown Town & Country | data-sort-value="Maryland, Hagerstown" | Hagerstown, Maryland | Almanack | [89] [90] | |||||||
1797 | Wayside Inn | data-sort-value="Virginia, Middletown" | Middletown, Virginia | Hotel | [91] [92] | |||||||
1798 | Alan McIlvain | data-sort-value="Pennsylvania, Philadelphia" | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (found.) | Sawmill | [93] [94] | |||||||
1798-1809 | Pratt-Read | data-sort-value="Connecticut, Ivoryton" | Ivoryton, Connecticut | Tools | [95] [96] [97] | |||||||
1798 | W. Rose | data-sort-value="Pennsylvania, Blockley Township" | Blockley Township, Pennsylvania | Tools | [98] [99] | |||||||
1801 | Crane & Co. | data-sort-value="Massachusetts, Dalton" | Dalton, Massachusetts | Papermaking | Now a subsidiary of Crane Co. | |||||||
1801 | Revere Copper Company | data-sort-value="Massachusetts, Canton" | Canton, Massachusetts (found.) | Copper Processing | [100] | Now based in Rome, New York. | ||||||
1802 | DuPont | data-sort-value="Delaware, Wilmington" | Wilmington, Delaware | Chemicals | Merged 2017 into DuPont de Nemours, Inc. | |||||||
1806 | Colgate | data-sort-value="New York City" | New York City | Consumer goods | ||||||||
1807 | Wiley | data-sort-value="New York City" | New York City (found.) | Publisher | Now based in Hoboken, New Jersey. | |||||||
1810 | Black, Starr & Frost | data-sort-value="New York City" | New York City | Jeweler | [101] | |||||||
1810 | The Hartford | data-sort-value="Connecticut, Hartford" | Hartford, Connecticut | Financial | ||||||||
1811 | Pfaltzgraff | data-sort-value="Pennsylvania, York County" | York County, Pennsylvania | Tableware | [102] | Sold to Lifetime Brands, Inc. in 2005. Only Internet presence. | ||||||
1811 | Davenport Peters | data-sort-value="Massachusetts, Boston" | Boston, Massachusetts | Lumber | [103] | Defunct 1991. | ||||||
1812 | City Bank of New York | data-sort-value="New York City" | New York City | Bank | Now Citigroup | |||||||
1813 | ContiGroup | data-sort-value=" Belgium" | Arlon (then Belgium.) | Food | Expanded to the U.S. in 1921. | |||||||
1813 | Seth Thomas | data-sort-value="Connecticut, Plymouth Hollow" | Plymouth Hollow, Connecticut | Clockmaker | Defunct. Now a brand of CST Enterprises. | |||||||
1815 | Louisville Stoneware | data-sort-value="Kentucky, Louisville" | Louisville, Kentucky | Pottery | ||||||||
1816 | Hodgdon Yachts | data-sort-value="Maine, East Boothbay" | East Boothbay, Maine | Yachts | ||||||||
1816 | The York Water Company | data-sort-value="Pennsylvania, York" | York, Pennsylvania | Water utility | ||||||||
1816 | Remington | data-sort-value="New York, Ilion" | Ilion, New York | Firearms; typewriters | ||||||||
1816 | Stark Brothers Nurseries and Orchards | data-sort-value="Missouri, Louisiana" | Louisiana, Missouri | Farm | ||||||||
1817 | Harper | data-sort-value="New York City" | New York City | Publishing | Merged 1989 into HarperCollins. | |||||||
1817 | JB & Son | data-sort-value="Providence, RI" | Providence, Rhode Island | Apothecary/Druggist | [104] |1873 renamed to The Claflin Company.|-|1818|Breck's|data-sort-value="Massachusetts, Boston"|Boston, Massachusetts (found.)|Flowers|[105] |Acquired by Gardens Alive!|-|1818|Libbey Incorporated|data-sort-value="Toledo, Ohio"|Toledo, Ohio|Glassware||Formerly Libbey Glass Company and New England Glass Company|-|1818|Brooks Brothers|data-sort-value="New York City"|New York City|The oldest apparel/clothing brand in continuous operation in the United States.[106] |Founder = Henry Sands Brooks|filed for bankruptcy protection in July 2020.[107] In September 2020 Brooks Brothers was purchased by a joint venture between Authentic Brands Group and Simon Property Group.[108] [109] ||- bgcolor="#cccccc"|1818|Brown Bros. & Co.|data-sort-value="Pennsylvania, Philadelphia"|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (found.)|Bank||Merged 1931 into Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.|- bgcolor="#dddddd"|1818|Marshall Elevator|data-sort-value="Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh"|Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (found.)|Elevators||Acquired by Otis.|-|1819|Jacob Bromwell|data-sort-value="Ohio, Cincinnati"|Cincinnati, Ohio (found.)|Housewares||Incorporated on 1883.|-|1819|Cravath, Swaine & Moore|data-sort-value="New York City"|New York City|Law firm||}See alsoReferences |