McRae-Helena dates to 2015, and 3 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 23% of U.S. towns · #189 of 263 in Georgia. What drives it
Most of McRae-Helena was built recently: 5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1973. Its Register listings are the South Georgia College Administration Building, the Telfair County Courthouse and Jail and the Max and Emma Sue McRae House. Below: maps from 1972 on.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1871.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives McRae-Helena’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, McRae-Helena is more historic than 23% of U.S. towns, #189 of 263 in Georgia. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of McRae-Helena’s overall grade.
Georgia towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Georgia town has 10.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so McRae-Helena’s 10.0 sits near the middle of its state (54% of Georgia towns have fewer) while its 6 historic buildings outnumber those of 72% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 2015.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to B−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.6 points).
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 McRae-Helena’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
On January 1, 2015, McRae and the adjacent town of Helena merged to form McRae–Helena. This merge was initiated when Helena discovered it could no longer manage its wastewater supply. While it seemed to make sense to have nearby McRae take over Helena's water services, it would have not only reduced Helena's revenue, but left Helena with only two municipal services. The cities were united under House Bill 967, sponsored by Representative Jimmy Pruett of the 149th district. It was signed into law by Governor Nathan Deal on April 10, 2014.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Places that used to be
Old corners, places now gone and burying grounds
Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.
Mc Rae
1871–today
Helena
1889–today
18701950today
Hamlets and corners on the map
HelenaMcRae
Gone or out of use
McRae Public SchoolschoolMcRae-Helena High SchoolschoolSaint Pauls African Methodist Episcopal ChurchchurchSouth Georgia Collegeschool
3cemeteries and burying grounds inside McRae-Helena
HelenaOak GroveOakland
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Questions about McRae-Helena’s history
What year was McRae-Helena founded?
In 2015, according to Wikidata. McRae-Helena’s post office opened in 1871.
How does McRae-Helena rank for history?
McRae-Helena is more historic than 23% of U.S. towns, #189 of 263 in Georgia. 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 McRae-Helena?
Three places: the South Georgia College Administration Building (listed 1980), the Telfair County Courthouse and Jail (1995) and the Max and Emma Sue McRae House (2007).
How old are the homes in McRae-Helena?
5% of McRae-Helena’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.6 points), against a typical 3.8% for a Georgia town; the median home was built in 1973.
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 Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, 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.
