Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 6% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Most of St. George Island was built recently: 0.0% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1994. Below: 1 old photo or paper and maps from 1943 on.
More historic than 6% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, St. George Island is more historic than 6% of U.S. towns. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
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 St. George Island’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (33% of Florida towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: our sources. 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 St. George Island’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of St. George Island.
St. George Island was first inhabited by the Muscogee people between the 10th and 15th centuries. European colonists arrived to the area in the late 18th century. In 1803, the Creek Indians ceded a large tract of land, which included St. George Island, to trader John Forbes and Company, known as the Forbes Grant.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
One decade in the archive so far: the 1960s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
2025St. George Island First Baptist Church side
2025St. George Island First Baptist Church front
2025Piggly Wiggly Express
2025Franklin CR300 at FL300
2025FL300 southern terminus at CR300
2025Centennial Bank
2025Buccaneer Inn
2025BJ's Pizza and More
2025Aunt Ebby's Ice Cream
2025AMI Stores
2008St George Island bridgeEvery edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of St. George Island. 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 St. George Island.
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on St. George Island’s page.
Retake this view · +15Nobody well known was born in St. George Island itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.
Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
St. George Island is more historic than 6% 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.
0.0% of St. George Island’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 0.6% for a Florida town; the median home was built in 1994.
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 (12), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps 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.
1968
