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History · Bellville

Bellville dates to 1890, and 31% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1919 on and the census since 1970.

1890founded
0on the National Register
31%homes built before 1940
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Photo: JohnnyReb1977 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answers

How Bellville began

When was Bellville founded?

1890

Bellville dates its founding to 1890 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1970.

First census: 234 in 19702020 census: 127136 years
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1913.The full story ↓

What stands out about Bellville’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 Bellville are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19194 editions of the USGS map, 1919 to 1976. Watch Bellville change.Old housesHalf of Bellville’s homes were built before 1956.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Bellville’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Bellville’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

Bellville on the map, 1919 to 1976

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

Bellville on the 1919 USGS mapBellville on the 1944 USGS mapBellville on the 1958 USGS mapBellville on the 1976 USGS map1919Claxton 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 Bellville.

The story

How Bellville came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Bellville.

Read it all →

Bellville was laid out in 1890 when the railroad was extended to that point. Bellville incorporated in 1959. Hines Daniel served as the first Mayor.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Bellville, 1890 to 1966

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1890
    FoundingBellville is established
  3. 20th century
  4. 1913Post officeThe Bellville post office opens
  5. 1919On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  6. 1966Post officeThe Bellville post office closes
By decade

Bellville, decade by decade

Today4 recent
Bellville City Hall2014Bellville City HallBellvilletraindepot2008BellvilletraindepotGAMap-doton-Bellville2005GAMap-doton-BellvilleBellville-depot2005Bellville-depot
People over time

Bellville, census by census

0100200198020002020Peak: 234

Between 123 and 234 people in every census since 1970.

6 censuses, 1970–2020.

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

Places that used to be

Lost post offices and places now gone

Bellville had its own post office from 1913 to 1966.

Bellville
1913–1966
19101970today
Gone or out of use
Bellville Methodist ChurchchurchBellville Schoolschool

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Questions about Bellville’s history

What year was Bellville founded?

In 1890, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Bellville’s post office opened in 1913, and the census of 1970 counted 234 people here.

Memory lane

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

Town Square →
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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). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (4), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), 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.