More historic than 14% of U.S. towns · #140 of 187 in Alabama. What drives it
Most of Jemison was built recently: 3% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1975. Below: maps from 1891 on and the census since 1880.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Jemison is more historic than 14% of U.S. towns, #140 of 187 in Alabama. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
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HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Jemison’s 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 Jemison’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (26% of Alabama towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.7 points).
Founding year: our sources. 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 Jemison’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Jemison is located at the geological end of the Appalachians and was originally inhabited by the Creek Indians for the springs located in the area. In 1869, R.J. Langston built the first house in area and it was made famous by stagecoach drivers who would stop to rest on their travels between North and South Alabama, calling the area Langston Station, or Langstonville, later known as "Jemison Springs", and finally, Jemison. Population began growing by 1870 after the completion of the railroad passing through the town as part of the L&N Railroad. Construction originally began on the railroad in February 1854, but was halted then destroyed due to the Civil War.
Lost post offices, old corners and burying grounds
Another post office, Langston Station, opened and closed inside today’s town.
Langston Station
1870–1873
Jamison
1873–today
18701950today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Union Grove
4cemeteries and burying grounds inside Jemison
Holly GrovePine HillSaint PaulsUnion Grove
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Questions about Jemison’s history
How does Jemison rank for history?
Jemison is more historic than 14% of U.S. towns, #140 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.
How old are the homes in Jemison?
3% of Jemison’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.7 points), against a typical 3.2% for an Alabama town; the median home was built in 1975.
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 (1), 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) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
2004