Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 25% of U.S. towns · #390 of 847 in California. What drives it
Most of Fowler was built recently: 6% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1990. Below: maps from 1891 on and the census since 1910.
The Fowler post office opened in 1882, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1908.
More historic than 25% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Fowler is more historic than 25% of U.S. towns, #390 of 847 in California. Its age 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 Fowler’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 Fowler’s history is told.
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.
1891Sheet 1 of 2Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Fowler. 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 Fowler.
From Wikipedia’s history of Fowler.
Fowler's first post office opened in 1882. Fowler was incorporated June 15, 1908. The community was named for rancher Thomas Fowler, an early 1870s California state senator.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Fowler, cut from the printed page as they were published.
"Jesse Totley and Xancy Fowler, 1792.'"' Xancy has been a name in the Godfrey Fowler line as far back as I have been able to go. William Fowler and Pleasant Fowler are named below that marriage record, and their names must stand as witnesses, as I am unable to think of any other connection their signatures may mean in the copy I have.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
moving spirit in the founding of Eutersville College, 1838, in memory of the great and lamented Dr. Enter. He founded Wesley College at San Augustine, 1842, and made his brother Jack Fowler professor of mathematics and ancient languages in that institution. Fowler Institute of Henderson, Eusk County, was so named in memory of Littleton Fowler, and many men of middle life to-day got their education at that East Texas school.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
In 1912 Mr. Nelson organized the Fowler National Bank and became a director in the concern, and in 1915 the bank bought out the interests of the First National Bank of Fowler; they then consolidated the two, under the name of the First National Bank of Fowler and Mr. Nelson was made president of the new organization, which office he still holds. In 1919 he helped organize the Growers National Bank of Fresno and became its vice-president.
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.
Grew from 675 people in 1910 to 6,700 in 2020, 9 times over.
12 censuses, 1910–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Fowler’s Wikipedia page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
The Fowler post office opened in 1882, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1908.
Fowler is more historic than 25% of U.S. towns, #390 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.
6% of Fowler’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.7 points), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1990.
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 (2), 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, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) 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.
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