More historic than 27% of U.S. towns · #368 of 847 in California. What drives it
Most of Angwin was built recently: 8% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1963. Below: maps from 1942 on and the census since 1970.
Angwin dates its founding to 1874 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1970.
First census: 2,690 in 19702020 census: 2,633152 years
How did Angwin get its name?
The town of Angwin is named for Edwin Angwin (1841–1919), a native of St. Agnes, Cornwall, who in 1875 purchased a 200-acre (0.8 km2) parcel within the Rancho La Jota on Howell Mountain and established the Angwin Resort.
How historic is Angwin?
C
More historic than 27% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Angwin is more historic than 27% of U.S. towns, #368 of 847 in California. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
C
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Angwin’s overall grade.
Few California towns list much on the Register (a typical California town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Angwin’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (31% of California towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to C. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.8 points). Two sources give 1874.
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 Angwin’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The town of Angwin is named for Edwin Angwin (1841–1919), a native of St. Agnes, Cornwall, who in 1875 purchased a 200-acre (0.8 km2) parcel within the Rancho La Jota on Howell Mountain and established the Angwin Resort. By the 1900s, Mr. Angwin owned almost 1,600 acres (6.5 km2) of land in the area.
Prior to 1875, Rancho La Jota was held in its entirety by William Campbell Watson, husband of Elizabeth Anne Davis, the granddaughter of George C. Yount. Mr. Watson began to sell off portions of the Rancho in 1875, Mr. Angwin's being among the first parcels. Soon after a community began to emerge with the success of, and in support of, the Angwin Resort.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Angwin. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1942St Helena sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Angwin.
Places that used to be
Lost post offices and old corners
Angwin’s post office has been open since 1883. Another post office, La Jota, opened and closed inside today’s town.
Angwin
1883–today
La Jota
1923–1925
18801950today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Howell MountainVeteran Heights
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Questions about Angwin’s history
What year was Angwin founded?
In 1874, according to Wikidata. Angwin’s post office opened in 1883, and the census of 1970 counted 2,690 people here.
How does Angwin rank for history?
Angwin is more historic than 27% of U.S. towns, #368 of 847 in California. 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.
How old are the homes in Angwin?
8% of Angwin’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.8 points), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1963.
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 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.
