Developed in the first half of the 19th century as a regional service and transportation hub, the village exhibits a significant number of Greek Revival buildings, augmented with primarily later civic and commercial buildings.

[1] The town of Chelsea grew up along the banks of the First Branch White River in central Orange County.

In the 19th century it developed as a regional service center for the neighboring rural communities, and also fostered modest industry, primarily small textile, grist, and sawmills, now mostly lost.

The north common was established in 1794 as a public parade and militia training ground, while that to the south was given in 1804 as a site for the county courthouse.

Arrayed around the common and along Main, Maple, and Jail Brook Streets are a fine collection of late Federal and Greek Revival buildings, mostly residential, although some commercial buildings survive from that period as well.