Demopolis dates to 1817, and 10% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 86% of U.S. towns · #5 of 187 in Alabama. What drives it
13 places in town are on the National Register, among them the Gaineswood, a National Historic Landmark, and two historic districts with 385 buildings between them. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1884 on, and the census since 1850.
Demopolis dates its founding to 1817 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1850.
First census: 812 in 18502020 census: 7,162209 years
How did Demopolis get its name?
Demopolis was named by a group of French expatriates, a mix of exiled Bonapartists and other French refugees who had settled in the United States after the overthrow of the colonial government in Saint…
How historic is Demopolis?
A
More historic than 86% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Demopolis is more historic than 86% of U.S. towns, #5 of 187 in Alabama. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Demopolis’ overall grade.
Alabama towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical Alabama town has 2.7 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Demopolis’ 575 sits above most of its state (96% of Alabama towns have fewer) while its 397 historic buildings outnumber those of 96% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.1 points). Two sources give 1817.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Demopolis’ past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. One is a National Historic Landmark, the highest tier. Boundary changes and added documentation are counted with their listing.
places listed
13
National Historic Landmark
1
Gaineswood
historic buildings protected
397
each building in a district counts
first listed
1970
Bluff Hall
BuildingsDistrictsSites★ landmark
Architectural styles listings
Greek Revival4
Architecture2
Victorian2
Italianate1
Political1
Located on White Bluff, Landing Site for Bonapartist Exiles from Tombigbee River in 18171
Organizing first in Philadelphia, French expatriates petitioned the U.S. Congress to sell them property for land to colonize. Congress granted approval by an act on March 3, 1817, that allowed them to buy four townships in the Alabama Territory at $2 per acre, with the provision that they cultivate grape vines and olive trees. Following advice obtained from experienced pioneers and geographers, they estimated that Alabama would provide a good climate for cultivating these crops, which proved not to be the case. By July 14, 1817, a small party of pioneers had settled at White Bluff on the Tombigbee River, at the present site of Demopolis, founding the Vine and Olive Colony.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Demopolis. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1946Demopolis sheet · 1:24,000
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Demopolis.
Every building
Demopolis, building by building, 1884–1924
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
1884Sheet 1 of 1
Edition
Sheets
BrickWoodStone
Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Then & now
Stand where they stood
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Retake this view1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Alabama - Marengo County - Demopolis - ED 46-2, ED 46-3, ED 46-4, ED 46-5, 1880
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Demopolis’ page.
In 1817, according to Wikidata. Demopolis’ post office opened in 1819, and the census of 1850 counted 812 people here.
How does Demopolis rank for history?
Demopolis is more historic than 86% of U.S. towns, #5 of 187 in Alabama. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Demopolis?
13 listings: 9 buildings, among them the Gaineswood (a National Historic Landmark since 1974) and the Bluff Hall (listed 1970, the first), 2 historic districts, the Demopolis Historic Business District and the Demopolis Historic District, with 385 contributing buildings, and 2 sites. 397 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Demopolis?
10% of Demopolis’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.1 points), against a typical 3.2% for an Alabama town; the median home was built in 1976.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (5), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (13), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
★ Landmark
1819
1880
