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C+History
History · Belleview

Belleview dates to 1884, and 2 of its places are on the National Register

More historic than 43% of U.S. towns · #93 of 638 in Florida. What drives it

Most of Belleview was built recently: 0.8% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1985. 2 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 44 buildings. Below: maps from 1895 on and the census since 1890.

1884founded
2on the National Register
0.8%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Belleview began

When was Belleview founded?

1884

Belleview dates its founding to 1884 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1890.

First census: 130 in 18902020 census: 5,413142 years

How historic is Belleview?

C+

More historic than 43% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Belleview’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Belleview is more historic than 43% of U.S. towns, #93 of 638 in Florida. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.

C+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Belleview’s overall grade.
Founding era1884, from Wikidata: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 19400.8% of homes (±1.3) · typical FL town 0.6% · U.S. 8.4%DNational Register2 listings, 46 historic buildings, 79.2 per 10,000 residents · typical FL town 0.0 · U.S. 2.4A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 43%
NewerOlder
Florida towns of 2,500+ (638)Ahead of 86%

Few Florida towns list much on the Register (a typical Florida town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Belleview’s 79.2 sits above most of its state (93% of Florida towns have fewer) while its 46 historic buildings outnumber those of 84% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to B+. The pre-1940 share (±1.3 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1884.

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 Belleview’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Belleview are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18953 editions of the USGS map, 1895 to 1991. Watch Belleview change.A historic districtThe Lake Lillian Neighborhood Historic District takes in 44 historic buildings.Lost villages8 hamlets and corners are still on the map.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Belleview’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Belleview’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Belleview on the map, 1895 to 1991

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Belleview. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Belleview on the 1895 USGS mapBelleview on the 1967 USGS mapBelleview on the 1991 USGS map1895Ocala sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Belleview.

On the National Register

2 listings protect 46 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
2
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
46
each building in a district counts
first listed
1999
Belleview School
Belleview School, built 1928Lake Lillian Neighborhood Historic District
BuildingsDistricts

Architectural styles listings

Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals1
Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival1
Frame Vernacular1
Masonry Vernacular1
Belleview SchoolLate 19th and 20th Century Revivals · Built 1928
Lake Lillian Neighborhood Historic DistrictFrame Vernacular

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

The story

How Belleview came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Belleview.

Read it all →

A post office has been in operation at Belleview since 1883. The city officially incorporated on May 8, 1885.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Belleview, 1884 to 1928

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1884
    FoundingBelleview is established
  3. 1895On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  4. 20th century
  5. 1928BuiltBelleview School is built
By decade

Belleview, decade by decade

Today20 recent
Ash wednesday During COVID-192021Ash wednesday During COVID-19SB US 301 Splits from US 27-441 in2020SB US 301 Splits from US 27-441 inUntitled photo2020Untitled photoTiny clitty 12018Tiny clitty 1NB US 301; JCT US 27-441 in2018NB US 301; JCT US 27-441 inNB US 27-301-441 north of FL SRs 25-35 in2018NB US 27-301-441 north of FL SRs 25-35 inNB US 27-301-441 First Triple Shields in2018NB US 27-301-441 First Triple Shields inUntitled photo2018Untitled photoSR 35 south end022009SR 35 south end02SR 35 and 25 intersection032009SR 35 and 25 intersection03SR 35 and 25 intersection022009SR 35 and 25 intersection02SR 35 and 25 intersection012009SR 35 and 25 intersection01Cracker Barrel Belleview FL042009Cracker Barrel Belleview FL04Cracker Barrel Belleview FL032009Cracker Barrel Belleview FL03Cracker Barrel Belleview FL022009Cracker Barrel Belleview FL02Cracker Barrel Belleview FL012009Cracker Barrel Belleview FL01Belleview FL library022008Belleview FL library02Belleview FL library012008Belleview FL library01Belleview water tower022007Belleview water tower02Belleview water tower012007Belleview water tower01
People over time

Belleview, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0004,5005,0005,5006,00019001920194019601980200020205,413

Grew from 130 people in 1890 to 5,413 in 2020, more than tenfold.

14 censuses, 1890–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Belleview’s Wikipedia page.

Places that used to be

Old corners

Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.

Hamlets and corners on the map
A and M Mobile Home ParkBriar Patch Mobile Home ParkCedar Grove Mobile Home ParkCompton Mobile Home ParkGateway Mobile Home ParkGreen Oaks Manor Mobile Home ParkPar I Mobile Home ParkSilver Oaks Mobile Home Park

Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Questions about Belleview’s history

What year was Belleview founded?

In 1884, according to Wikidata. the census of 1890 counted 130 people here.

How does Belleview rank for history?

Belleview is more historic than 43% of U.S. towns, #93 of 638 in Florida. 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.

What is on the National Register in Belleview?

Two places: the Belleview School (listed 1999) and the Lake Lillian Neighborhood Historic District (1999).

How old are the homes in Belleview?

0.8% of Belleview’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.3 points), against a typical 0.6% for a Florida town; the median home was built in 1985.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

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 (20), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (2), 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.