Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 72% of U.S. towns · #59 of 263 in Georgia. What drives it
Most of Springfield was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1988. 3 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 281 buildings. Below: 12 old photos and papers, maps from 1919 on, and the census since 1870.
Springfield dates its founding to 1799 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1870.
More historic than 72% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Springfield is more historic than 72% of U.S. towns, #59 of 263 in Georgia. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
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 Springfield’s 952 sits above most of its state (95% of Georgia towns have fewer) while its 283 historic buildings outnumber those of 95% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: Wikipedia (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 →
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.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
One decade in the archive so far: the 1990s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
1993Detail of the log construction of the Jaudon-Bragg-Sn…
1993Interior view of the Jaudon-Bragg-Snelling House, det…
1993Interior view of the Jaudon-Bragg-Snelling House, det…
1993View from the north of the corner of the Jaudon-Bragg…
1993View from the northwest of the side of the Jaudon-Bra…
1993View from the southeast, of the side of the Jaudon-Br…
1993View from the southwest, of the front of the Jaudon-B…
1993View from the west corner of the Jaudon-Bragg-Snellin…
1993View from the west of the Jaudon-Bragg-Snelling Barn,…
1993View of the Jaudon-Bragg-Snelling Barn-Corn Crib, fro…
1993View of the Jaudon-Bragg-Snelling Farm, a closer view…
1993View of the Jaudon-Bragg-Snelling Farm, from the nort…Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Springfield. 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 Springfield.
From Wikipedia’s history of Springfield.
Springfield was established in 1799, and is most likely named after a plantation. The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Springfield in 1838.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyIn the archiveDetail of the log construction of the Jaudon-Bragg-Snelling Barn, from the south corner f…
Born hereTyler Bashlor is born hereBetween 32 and 2,852 people in every census since 1870.
13 censuses, 1870–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Springfield’s Wikipedia page.
Springfield’s post office has been open since 1834.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.
In 1799, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Springfield’s post office opened in 1834, and the census of 1870 counted 32 people here.
Springfield is more historic than 72% of U.S. towns, #59 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.
Three places: the Effingham County Courthouse (listed 1980), the Effingham County Jail (2006) and the Springfield Historic District (2021).
2% of Springfield’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.3 points), against a typical 3.8% for a Georgia town; the median home was built in 1988.
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), the National Register of Historic Places (3), 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) 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.
