Rome dates to 1834, and 19 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 81% of U.S. towns · #31 of 263 in Georgia. What drives it
Most of Rome was built recently: 10% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1974. 19 places in town are on the National Register, among them the Chieftains, a National Historic Landmark, and ten historic districts with 598 buildings between them. Below: 22 old photos and papers, maps from 1885 on, and the census since 1860.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1828.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Rome’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Rome is more historic than 81% of U.S. towns, #31 of 263 in Georgia. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Rome’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 Rome’s 158 sits above most of its state (77% of Georgia towns have fewer) while its 605 historic buildings outnumber those of 98% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B to A. The pre-1940 share (±1.6 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1834.
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 Rome’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. One is a National Historic Landmark, the highest tier. Boundary changes and added documentation are counted with their listing.
The Abihka tribe of Creek in the area of Rome later became part of the Upper Creek people (who occupied the Northern Creek territory, called themselves the Muscogee). They merged with other Creek tribes to become the Ulibahali, who later migrated westward into Alabama in the general region of Gadsden. By the mid-18th century, the Iroquoian-speaking Cherokee had moved into this area and occupied it. They had moved down from areas of Tennessee, under pressure from settlement by Americans migrating across the Appalachians from eastern territories.
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.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Rome. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1967Rome North sheet · 1:24,000
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Rome.
Every building
Rome, building by building, 1885–1915
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
In 1834, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Rome’s post office opened in 1828, and the census of 1860 counted 4,010 people here.
How does Rome rank for history?
Rome is more historic than 81% of U.S. towns, #31 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 Rome?
19 listings: 7 buildings, among them the Chieftains (a National Historic Landmark since 1973), 11 historic districts with 598 contributing buildings, and 1 structure. 605 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Rome?
10% of Rome’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.6 points), against a typical 3.8% for a Georgia town; the median home was built in 1974.
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), the Library of Congress (10), the National Register of Historic Places (19), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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 Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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1913![The central boy is 9 y[ea]rs old - one is 11. Turners](https://images.townratings.com/story/2980/6b611ee8ae6b9593e353-s.jpg)
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1913![[S]ome of the youngest spinners in Floyd Cotton Mill](https://images.townratings.com/story/2980/df28f5685300988e4b95-s.jpg)
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