Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1970 on and the census since 1880.
Ainsworth dates its founding to 1858 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1880.
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 Ainsworth’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Ainsworth.
Ainsworth was laid out in 1858, and named after its founder, D. H. Ainsworth. The town was incorporated June 18, 1892.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Ainsworth, cut from the printed page as they were published.
northeast quarter of section 21, township 75, range 6. A gentleman writing of Ainsworth in the year 1864, just six years after the town was first located, says: ''Ainsworth is the name of the first station on the railroad east of Washington. It contains a good grain house, two stores, a steam grist mill, and several mechanics' shops. Although it is but a small town now, it is situated in a good neighborhood, and having railroad facilities may in the future rank next to Washington in importance."
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
northeast quarter of section 21, township 75, range 6. A gentleman writing of Ainsworth in the year 1864:, just six years after the town was first located, says: “Ainsworth is the name of the first station on the railroad east of Washington. It contains a good grain house, two stores, a steam grist mill, and several mechanics’ shops. Although it is but a small town now, it is situated in a good neighborhood, and having railroad facilities may in the future rank next to Washington in importance.”
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Ainsworth was laid out in '58 by D. H. Ainsworth, who owned land near the present station, and had a pull with the Rock Island men. Dr. B. Parkinson once represented the county in the legislature, while living there.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The town of Ainsworth constitutes an independent school district. CHURCHES. The United Brethren Church was organized in the year 1860. The original members were John Stone, Sarah Stone, Isaac Hazen, Kebecca Hazen, Elizabeth Stewart, Francis Parson, Lucinda Parson, Edward Stone, Oliver Bennett, C. H. Bower, and many others, about sixty in all. A frame church edifice was erected in 1864 at a cost of $900, which was dedicated, the same year by Bishop Markwood. The present membership numbers
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Born hereWarren Stanford Stone is born here
Born hereF. Dickinson Letts is born here
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyEvery edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Ainsworth. 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 Ainsworth.
Between 318 and 567 people in every census since 1880.
15 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Ainsworth’s Wikipedia page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Ainsworth’s post office has been open since 1862. Another post office, Amboy, opened and closed inside today’s town.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
In 1858, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Ainsworth’s post office opened in 1851, and the census of 1880 counted 318 people here.
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). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (4), 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 old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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