Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: old-book passages.
The Latimer post office opened in 1882, the earliest record of the town by name.
Latimer was named for its founder, J. F. Latimer.
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 Latimer’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Latimer.
Latimer got its start in the year 1882, following construction of the Iowa Central railroad through that territory. It was named for its founder, J. F. Latimer.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Latimer, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The next building was erected in Latimer in 1903, and cost $2,300. The parsonage was built during the administration of Reverend Johansen, but has been improved several times. Between the period of the destruction of the first church and building of the second and prior to the erection of a house of worship, religious services were
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
William J. Bennington, whose native state was Illinois, settled in Marion township in 1880. In 1883 he removed to the village of Latimer, where he engaged in the farm implement business. Henry Muhlenbruch, born in Germany, emigrated to the United States in 1873 and in 1882 settled on section 35, in Marion township.
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.
Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Nobody well known was born in Latimer itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
Latimer’s post office has been open since 1882.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
The Latimer post office opened in 1882, 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 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.
