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History · Arlington

Arlington dates to 1854, and 48% of its homes were built before 1940

Its Register listing is the Nus, August, Polygonal Barn. Below: maps from 1901 on and the census since 1890.

1854founded
1on the National Register
48%homes built before 1940
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Arlington began

When was Arlington founded?

1854

Arlington dates its founding to 1854 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1890.

First census: 593 in 18902020 census: 419172 years
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1856.The full story ↓

What stands out about Arlington’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 Arlington are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Boom and bustPeaked at 863 in 1900; 419 people lived here in 2020.Old housesHalf of Arlington’s homes were built before 1952.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Arlington’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Arlington’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
People over time

Arlington, census by census

02004006008001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 863

Peaked at 863 in 1900; 419 people lived here in 2020.

14 censuses, 1890–2020.

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

The story

How Arlington came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Arlington.

Read it all →

Arlington was originally called Brush Creek. The community was first settled in 1854.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Arlington, 1854 to 1981

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1854
    FoundingArlington is established
  3. 1856Post officeThe Brush Creek post office opens
  4. 1870Born herePercy R. Kelly is born here
  5. 1882Born hereClyde Becker is born here
  6. 1895Post officeThe Brush Creek post office closes
  7. 1895Post officeThe Arlington post office opens
  8. 20th century
  9. 1900CensusPopulation peaks at 863
  10. 1901On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  11. 1981Born hereChris Soules is born here
By decade

Arlington, decade by decade

Today3 recent
Untitled photo2021Untitled photoArlingtonIowaPopPlot2021ArlingtonIowaPopPlotIAMap-doton-Arlington2004IAMap-doton-Arlington
On the map

Arlington on the map, 1901 to 1984

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

Arlington on the 1901 USGS mapArlington on the 1984 USGS map1901Oelwein sheet · 1:125,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Arlington.

On the National Register

1 historic place in Arlington

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
1
each building in a district counts
first listed
1986
Nus, August, Polygonal Barn
Buildings
All 1 listings
Nus, August, Polygonal BarnBuilding · listed 1986

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Famous people

3 famous people were born in Arlington

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Percy R. KellyAmerican politician · b. 1870
C
Chris SoulesAmerican reality television participant · b. 1981
C
Clyde BeckerGeologist, American football player and coach · b. 1882
Places that used to be

Lost post offices and places now gone

Arlington’s post office has been open since 1895. Another post office, Brush Creek, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Brush Creek
1856–1895
Arlington
1895–today
18501940today
Gone or out of use
Arlingtonlocale

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

Questions about Arlington’s history

What year was Arlington founded?

In 1854, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Arlington’s post office opened in 1856, and the census of 1890 counted 593 people here.

What is on the National Register in Arlington?

One place: the Nus, August, Polygonal Barn (listed 1986).

Memory lane

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

Town Square →
Start a conversation
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 (3), the National Register of Historic Places (1), 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.