On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Westmorland is more historic than 25% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
C
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Westmorland’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 Westmorland’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 (±11.8 points). Two sources give 1934.
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 Westmorland’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Westmorland yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Westmorland (formerly Westmoreland) is a city in Imperial County, California. Westmorland is located 8.5 miles (14 km) southwest of Calipatria. The population was 2,014 at the 2020 census, down from 2,225 at the 2010 census, up from 2,131 in 2000. It is part of the El Centro Metropolitan Area. The mayor of Westmorland is Judith Rivera. Westmorland is on State Route 86, which was upgraded to a new six-lane highway to reduce its infamous auto accident and fatality risk, while it connects with Brawley, El Centro and Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. The post office, originally called Westmoreland, opened in 1909; it closed in 1912 and re-opened in 1919. It was renamed to Westmorland in 1936. …
Westmorland was established in 1934. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 2,225 to 2,014 (-9%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
Timeline
Westmorland, 1909 to 1936
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Westmorland’s post office has been open since 1936. Another post office, Westmoreland, opened and closed inside today’s town.
Westmoreland
1909–1936
Westmorland
1936–today
19001960today
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Questions about Westmorland’s history
What year was Westmorland founded?
In 1934, according to Wikidata. Westmorland’s post office opened in 1909.
How does Westmorland rank for history?
Westmorland is more historic than 25% of U.S. towns. 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 Westmorland?
17% of Westmorland’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±11.8 points), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1979.
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), Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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.
2015
2009