Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 7% of U.S. towns · #112 of 123 in Arkansas. What drives it
Most of Gosnell was built recently: 3% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1976. Below: maps from 1939 on and the census since 1970.
The Gosnell post office opened in 1903, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1968.
More historic than 7% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Gosnell is more historic than 7% of U.S. towns, #112 of 123 in Arkansas. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
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 Gosnell’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (11% of Arkansas towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: the first post office (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 →
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Gosnell’s history is told.
Peaked at 3,968 in 2000; 2,910 people lived here in 2020.
6 censuses, 1970–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Gosnell’s Wikipedia page.
From Wikipedia’s history of Gosnell.
From 1350CE to 1700CE, the area was inhabited by a Late Mississippian Culture. Eaker Site, due east of modern Gosnell, contained a palisade, defensive trench, and a temple mound. While not confirmed, it is possible that the area was visited by members of Desoto's Expedition in 1540.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Gosnell. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Gosnell.
Nobody well known was born in Gosnell itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
Gosnell had its own post office from 1903 to 1937.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
The Gosnell post office opened in 1903, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1968.
Gosnell is more historic than 7% of U.S. towns, #112 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.
3% of Gosnell’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.3 points), against a typical 3.1% for an Arkansas town; the median home was built in 1976.
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
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, 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.
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