More historic than 13% of U.S. towns · #110 of 159 in Colorado. What drives it
Most of Timnath was built recently: 0.4% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 2016. Below: 6 old photos and papers, maps from 1960 on, and the census since 1930.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1884.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Timnath’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Timnath is more historic than 13% of U.S. towns, #110 of 159 in Colorado. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
D
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Timnath’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 Timnath’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 D. The pre-1940 share (±0.7 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1869.
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 →
The area was first homesteaded by settlers in 1860. The Sherwood Station site, an Overland Trail stop, opened in 1860 on the Sherwood Ranch. The first schoolhouse was constructed that year, approximately one-half mile west of the current town, and was named "Fairview". By 1880, the community had outgrown the schoolhouse, and new "Fairview" school was built just north of the current town. The school also served as an early meeting place for the Presbyterian Church. The turning point in the early history of the community was in 1882, with the arrival of the Greeley, Salt Lake and Pacific Railroad (controlled by the Union Pacific) linking Greeley and Fort Collins. The following year, the Presbyterian Church, petitioned by local residents, sent a missionary to found a congregation. The current structure along Main Street dates from that year.
with 50 members. Religious services were held previous to that time, however, in the old log school house which stood across the river from the present town of Timnath. Rev. Charles A. Taylor was the first regular pastor of the congregation. The church building was completed and dedicated August 25th, 1888, and the present value of the church property is $6,000. The membership roll at pres-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Frederick J. Snyder. — Mr. Snyder was one of the real pioneers of Colorado and a very early settler in Larimer county, locating on a farm near the present town of Timnath, in 1865. He walked the entire distance from Chicago to Denver in 1860, making the trip in 271 days. He came alone, carrying his bedding and provisions, excepting what he killed on the road, on his back. He was a good citi-
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
Timnath, 1869 to 1960
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1869, according to Wikidata. Timnath’s post office opened in 1884, and the census of 1930 counted 169 people here.
How does Timnath rank for history?
Timnath is more historic than 13% of U.S. towns, #110 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 Timnath?
0.4% of Timnath’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 2.5% for a Colorado town; the median home was built in 2016.
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 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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