More historic than 22% of U.S. towns · #90 of 159 in Colorado. What drives it
Most of Sheridan was built recently: 6% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1974. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1930 on, and the census since 1900.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1876.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Sheridan’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Sheridan is more historic than 22% of U.S. towns, #90 of 159 in Colorado. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Sheridan’s overall grade.
Few Colorado towns list much on the Register (a typical Colorado town has 1.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Sheridan’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (22% of Colorado 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 (±3.5 points). Two sources give 1890.
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 Sheridan’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Sheridan was originally part of the Indian Territory and has always been a small community. The first white settler of what would become Sheridan was John McBroom in the spring of 1859. He homesteaded 160 acres (0.65 km2). The town was initially named Petersburg. McBroom built his first log cabin near Bear Creek which he later abandoned in 1866 when he married Emma J. Bennett. He prospered as a farmer and found a viable market in Denver for his goods. He was joined by his brother, Isaac McBroom, in June 1860, who also homesteaded a little over 160 acres (0.65 km2). The laying out of the town of Sheridan is credited to Isaac. He was also responsible for the name change from Petersburg to Sheridan. Isaac McBroom's cabin can be toured at the Littleton Historical Museum.
Passages that mention Sheridan, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of the city of Denver, Arapahoe County, and Colorado1880Read the page →
Read the text
of 1868, he was getting out ties for the Denver Pacific Railroad, near Cache la Poudre, and afterward was engaged in the construetion of the Kansas Pacific, near Sheridan, Kan. In 1872, he mined successfully near Fairplay, and with the proceeds, invested in a oattle-ranche and stock business for several years, in connection with O.-ear Roop, his present partner. Mr. Leybourne is still
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.
Timeline
Sheridan, 1876 to 1948
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
In 1890, according to Wikidata. Sheridan’s post office opened in 1876, and the census of 1900 counted 442 people here.
How does Sheridan rank for history?
Sheridan is more historic than 22% of U.S. towns, #90 of 159 in Colorado. 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 Sheridan?
6% of Sheridan’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.5 points), against a typical 2.5% for a Colorado town; the median home was built in 1974.
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 (6), Wikipedia, 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.
Date?
Date?
2016
2012
2008
2008
