Batesville dates to 1821, and 24 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 81% of U.S. towns · #5 of 123 in Arkansas. What drives it
Most of Batesville was built recently: 9% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1980. 24 places in town are on the National Register, among them three historic districts with 123 buildings between them. Below: 9 old photos and papers, maps from 1886 on, and the census since 1850.
How Batesville began, and where its name came from
When was Batesville founded?
1821
Batesville dates its founding to 1821 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1850.
First census: 848 in 18502020 census: 11,191205 years
How did Batesville get its name?
Batesville was named for the first territorial delegate from Arkansas to the Congress of the United States, James Woodson Bates, who settled in the town.
How historic is Batesville?
A−
More historic than 81% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Batesville is more historic than 81% of U.S. towns, #5 of 123 in Arkansas. 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 Batesville’s overall grade.
Arkansas towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Arkansas town has 20.5 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Batesville’s 126 sits above most of its state (89% of Arkansas towns have fewer) while its 144 historic buildings outnumber those of 91% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1821.
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 (±3.4 points).
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 Batesville’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Batesville is the second oldest municipality after the town of Georgetown — and the oldest city — in the state of Arkansas. It was named for the first territorial delegate from Arkansas to the Congress of the United States, James Woodson Bates, who settled in the town. The town has also gone by the names of Napoleon and Poke Bayou.
In early days, Batesville was an important port on the White River and served as an entry point to the interior of northern Arkansas. Batesville played a large role in the settling of the Ozark Mountains region and served as the central land office for northern Arkansas.
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 Batesville. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1943Batesville 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 Batesville.
Every building
Batesville, building by building, 1886–1923
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.
1886Sheet 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 viewOld Independence County Courthouse, Arkansas, 1890
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Batesville’s page.
In 1821, according to Wikidata. Batesville’s post office opened in 1820, and the census of 1850 counted 848 people here.
How does Batesville rank for history?
Batesville is more historic than 81% of U.S. towns, #5 of 123 in Arkansas. 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 Batesville?
24 listings: 18 buildings, among them the Garrott House (listed 1971, the first), 3 historic districts, the Batesville East Main Historic District, the Batesville Commercial Historic District and the School Addition Historic District, with 123 contributing buildings, 2 structures, and 1 object. 144 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Batesville?
9% of Batesville’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.4 points), against a typical 3.1% for an Arkansas 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 (3), the Library of Congress (6), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (24), 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.
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