Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: old-book passages.
The Ellsworth post office opened in 1881, 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 Ellsworth’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Ellsworth.
Ellsworth was platted in 1880. It was named to honor the memory of Elmer E. Ellsworth, of the Chicago Zouaves who was murdered in Virginia in the early days of the war of the rebellion.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Ellsworth, cut from the printed page as they were published.
he saw an opportunity of advancing his interests. In 1902 he was appointed carrier on the rural mail route from the postoffice at Ellsworth, and is still holding that position. In 19 10 he became associated with A. B. Staples in the livery business in Ellsworth under the firm name of Keesee & Staples. This proved to be a profitable venture, and in March of the next year, he still further extended the scope of his activities by engaging in the hotel business. Mr. Keesee is meeting with good returns from his various interests and owns thirty acres
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
on a farm in Ellsworth township. They made the journey from Illinois in an emigrant wagon, as tliere were but few railroads west of the Mississippi at that time. The Indians still inhabited the forests, and although they were near neighbors and frequent visitors never caused any trouble. There were but few white settlements and these were scattered along the river, and where today are highly cultivated farms and thriving towns, stretched miles of unbroken prairie. Market facilities were very poor and there was but little demand for the
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.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
The Ellsworth post office opened in 1881, 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, 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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