Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 15% of U.S. towns · #582 of 847 in California. What drives it
Most of Lamont was built recently: 7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1971. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1932 on, and the census since 1950.
Lamont dates its founding to 1923 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1950.
More historic than 15% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Lamont is more historic than 15% of U.S. towns, #582 of 847 in California. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls 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 Lamont’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: Wikipedia (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 Lamont’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Lamont.
Lamont was founded in 1923. During the 1930s–1950s, large numbers of farm workers migrated to the Lamont area from the east seeking relief from the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. The first post office opened in 1947.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
In the archiveHarvesting grapes near La Monte [i.e. Lamont]. Kern County, California. Lithuanian contra…One decade in the archive so far: the 1930s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Lamont. 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 Lamont.
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
![Harvesting grapes near La Monte [i.e. Lamont]. Kern County, California. Lithuanian contract labor](https://images.townratings.com/story/37210/6f43452da40ddef6fee2-l.jpg)
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Lamont’s page.
Retake this view · +15Between 3,571 and 15,120 people in every census since 1950.
8 censuses, 1950–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Lamont’s Wikipedia page.
Nobody well known was born in Lamont itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1923, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1950 counted 3,571 people here.
Lamont is more historic than 15% of U.S. towns, #582 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.
7% of Lamont’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.0 points), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1971.
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 (1), the Library of Congress (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) 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.
2012
