Photo: Scottthezombie (Transferred by JaumeBG/Originally uploaded by Scottthezombie) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answers
How Crestline began
When was Crestline founded?
1919
The Crestline post office opened in 1919, the earliest record of the town by name. Another post office, Skyland Heights (1910), opened inside today’s town and later closed.
First census: 3,509 in 19702020 census: 11,650107 years
How historic is Crestline?
C−
More historic than 24% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: the first Crestline post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).
History grade
What drives Crestline’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Crestline is more historic than 24% of U.S. towns, #392 of 847 in California. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Crestline’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 Crestline’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 D to C+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.4 points). The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date.
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 →
What stands out about Crestline’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Crestline. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1898San Bernardino 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 Crestline.
Places that used to be
Lost post offices and old corners
Crestline’s post office has been open since 1919. Another post office, Skyland Heights, opened and closed inside today’s town.
Skyland Heights
1910–1919
Crestline
1919–today
Cedar Pines Park
1927–today
19101970today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Arrowhead HighlandsCedarpines ParkSkylandValley of EnchantmentValley View Park
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
The story so far
Crestline, in brief
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Crestline yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Crestline is a census-designated place in the San Bernardino Mountains of San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 11,650 at the 2020 census, up from 10,770 at the 2010 census.
Its first post office opened in 1919. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 10,770 to 11,650 (+8%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
Timeline
Crestline, 1898 to 1927
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
The Crestline post office opened in 1919, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does Crestline rank for history?
Crestline is more historic than 24% of U.S. towns, #392 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 Crestline?
16% of Crestline’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.4 points), against a typical 3.4% for a California 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 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.
