Leeds dates to 1877, and 3 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 50% of U.S. towns · #76 of 187 in Alabama. What drives it
Most of Leeds was built recently: 7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1980. 3 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 22 buildings. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1905 on, and the census since 1890.
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1828.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Leeds’ History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Leeds is more historic than 50% of U.S. towns, #76 of 187 in Alabama. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
B−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Leeds’ 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 Leeds’ 20.8 sits above most of its state (71% of Alabama towns have fewer) while its 25 historic buildings outnumber those of 81% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to B. The pre-1940 share (±2.7 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1877.
Founding year: Wikipedia (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 Leeds’ past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The War of 1812, geography, geology, and three cultures shaped the history of Leeds. Lying at the crossroads of ancient Native American paths in the center of Alabama, Leeds drew European settlers and their African-American slaves to a land of fertile growing seasons and rich sources of coal and mineral ore. The early settlers built churches and schools with many remaining in Cedar Grove, Oak Ridge, Ohanafeefee, and Mt. Pleasant. The principal survey of Leeds was entered into Jefferson County Map Book 10, page 21, in 1908. The settlement, dating to 1818 and incorporating on April 27, 1887 as "Leeds", has existed along the banks of the Little Cahaba River; beside an historic stagecoach route; and along two large railroads for the greater part of American history.
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.
In 1877, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Leeds’ post office opened in 1828, and the census of 1890 counted 250 people here.
How does Leeds rank for history?
Leeds is more historic than 50% of U.S. towns, #76 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 Leeds?
Three places: the Southern Railroad Depot (listed 1983), the Leeds Downtown Historic District (1995) and the Jonathan W. Bass House (2008).
How old are the homes in Leeds?
7% of Leeds’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.7 points), against a typical 3.2% for an Alabama town; the median home was built in 1980.
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 (7), the National Register of Historic Places (3), 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.
1880
2025
2024
2023
2014
2014
