Globe dates to 1875, and 23% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 76% of U.S. towns · #2 of 140 in Arizona. What drives it
12 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 23 buildings. Below: 6 old photos and papers, maps from 1893 on, and the census since 1880.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1876.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Globe’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Globe is more historic than 76% of U.S. towns, #2 of 140 in Arizona. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Globe’s overall grade.
Few Arizona towns list much on the Register (a typical Arizona town has 0.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Globe’s 45.9 sits above most of its state (88% of Arizona towns have fewer) while its 33 historic buildings outnumber those of 82% of U.S. towns.
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 (±4.6 points). Two sources give 1875.
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 Globe’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
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.
Besh-Ba-Gowah, about one mile south of Globe, was occupied by Salado populations between AD 1225 and AD 1400.
In 1875 silver was discovered in the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation. Accordingly, that same year, the mining camp at Ramboz Peak nearest to the reservation relocated to what became Globe. The plans for an incorporated Globe were established in July 1876, with retail stores, banks, and Globe's first newspaper printing its first issue on May 2, 1878. By February 1881, Globe was the Gila County seat. Coming with Globe's new importance as the county seat came a stagecoach line linking it to Silver City, New Mexico.
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 1875, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Globe’s post office opened in 1876, and the census of 1880 counted 704 people here.
How does Globe rank for history?
Globe is more historic than 76% of U.S. towns, #2 of 140 in Arizona. 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 Globe?
12 listings: 9 buildings, among them the Gila County Courthouse (listed 1975, the first), 1 historic district, the Globe Downtown Historic District, with 23 contributing buildings, and 2 sites. 33 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Globe?
23% of Globe’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.6 points), against a typical 0.4% for an Arizona town; the median home was built in 1967.
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 (2), the Library of Congress (4), the National Register of Historic Places (12), 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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