Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1900 on and the census since 1870.
The Delhi post office opened in 1844, the earliest record of the town by name.
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 Delhi’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Delhi. 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 Delhi.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Born hereTom Dennison is born here
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyFrom Wikipedia’s history of Delhi.
Delhi was founded in the early 1840s. The county seat was once located there. Emma Swinburne, who married George C. Junkin, was from Delhi.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Delhi, cut from the printed page as they were published.
with his father until the age of 21. He then purchased a farm of his own. He iame to Delaware Co. in April 21, 1854 and settled in Delhi Tp., Sec. 9, residing there one year. He then moved to the village of Delhi, where he has resided ever since ; he has been Justice of the Peace two terms. Township Trustee two
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
-with his father until the age of 21. He then purchased a farm of his own. He same to Delaware Co. in April 21, 1854 and settled in Delhi Tp., Sec. 9, residing there one year. He then moved to the village of Delhi, where he has resided ever since ; he has been Justice of the Peace two terms. Township Trustee two
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Frederick B. Doolittle and William Price visited the county, and entered land near Delhi. "At that time," says Judge Doolittle, "there were only four or five log cabins in the town of Delhi. There was a log house near the 'Big Spring,' which was the tavern kept by John W. Clark. In a frame 'lean-to,' on one side of the tavern, Clark kept a little store."
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
quarter section on which the county seat was located in 1841 had thus far proved unavailing. The arrangement contemplated with Mr. Sanford by the order of April 5, 1842, does not appear to have been consummated, and although the town of Delhi had been platted, no lots could be sold, and the town existed only on paper. It became necessary that efforts to raise the money should be renewed, and on the 8th of October, 1844, the Commissioners passed the following order : Ordered, That Ileiiry A. Carter be and he is hereby authorized and empowered to borrow
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.
Between 362 and 527 people in every census since 1870.
16 censuses, 1870–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Delhi’s Wikipedia page.
Delhi’s post office has been open since 1844.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
The Delhi post office opened in 1844, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
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 (2), 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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