Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 26% of U.S. towns · #377 of 847 in California. What drives it
Most of Easton was built recently: 8% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1972. Below: maps from 1923 on and the census since 1970.
The Easton post office opened in 1881, the earliest record of the town by name.
More historic than 26% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Easton is more historic than 26% of U.S. towns, #377 of 847 in California. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
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 Easton’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.
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 Easton’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Easton. 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 Easton.
From Wikipedia’s history of Easton.
Easton post office was established in 1881, moved in 1883, and closed in 1902. It reopened in 1952. The name honors O.W. Easton, a land agent.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Easton, cut from the printed page as they were published.
and for a few months worked as a wood engraver. Then he bought a place laid out as an orchard and vineyard on Cherry Avenue, which he operated for the period of one year ; then moved to a twenty-acre ranch on Elm Avenue, near Easton. In 1914, however, he was injured and after three years of painful suffering as an invalid, he passed to his eternal reward on January 23. 1917. A hard worker according to the most progressive methods, straightforward in all his dealings so that he scorned to take advantage of anyone, kindly and helpful in his relations to others, he was mourned by the entire
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
stock business together, but when he became a benedict, they divided up their interests. In 1884 he came to Fresno and engaged in the livery business, and tan the Front Street Livery Stable, and also operated a stage from Fresno to Easton and White’s Bridge for seven years, when he sold out and ran a stage to Fine Gold, now Madera County. He also engaged in the dray and express business, and quit to take up real estate, in which field he met with success.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Between 1,065 and 2,083 people in every census since 1970.
6 censuses, 1970–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Easton’s Wikipedia page.
Easton had its own post office from 1881 to 1902.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
The Easton post office opened in 1881, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
Easton is more historic than 26% of U.S. towns, #377 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.
8% of Easton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.3 points), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1972.
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 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 old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
