Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 32% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Most of London was built recently: 6% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1984. Its Register listing is the US 64, Old, Scotia Segment. Below: maps from 1888 on and the census since 1880.
The London post office opened in 1877, the earliest record of the town by name. Two smaller post offices, Dwight (1823) and Mill Creek (1892), opened inside today’s city and later closed.
More historic than 32% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, London is more historic than 32% of U.S. towns. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 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 London’s 8.2 sits near the middle of its state (40% of Arkansas towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% 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 London’s history is told.
Lost a third of its people between 1940 and 1960, then grew 3-fold.
14 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on London’s Wikipedia page.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of London. 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 London.
From Wikipedia’s history of London.
London was renamed from Haddoxburg by the first postmaster. The reason is unknown.
London used to have its own high school. Grades 10-12 moved to Russellville in the early 1950s, and grades 7-9 moved to Russellville in 1965. Currently the London School consists of grades K-through-4.
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.
Born hereJesse M. Martin is born here
Born hereBoss Schmidt is born here
Born hereWalter Schmidt is born here
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
Born hereBrooks Hays is born hereThe country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
London’s post office has been open since 1877. Two other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
The London post office opened in 1877, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
London is more historic than 32% of U.S. towns. 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.
One place: the US 64, Old, Scotia Segment (listed 2007).
6% of London’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.1 points), against a typical 3.1% for an Arkansas town; the median home was built in 1984.
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 (3), the National Register of Historic Places (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.
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