Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1891 on and the census since 1860.
Mechanicsville dates its founding to 1855 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1860.
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 Mechanicsville’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Mechanicsville.
Mechanicsville was platted in 1855 by Daniel A. Comstock. It was so named from the fact several of its first settlers were mechanics. A fire in 1883 destroyed the south side of the business district.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Mechanicsville, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Mechanicsville, Stanwood and Clarence have each been ambitious to maintain newspapers, and several ventures were made in that direction, most of which were attended with some degree of dissster. The present Mechanicsville PresSy under the able and judicious management of the present proprietor, has most successfully battled against the circumstances that surround the country press.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
In the year 1850, the present site of Mechanicsville was claimed by Joseph Stmt ton. Subsequently, it beeaine the property of George Weaver, who, in turn, sold liis interest to John Onstot. In 1855, the latter gentleman, in company with Daniel A. Gomstock, who obtained, and for a short time held, a oertoin proprietary share in the realty, platted the original village of Mechanicsville. The territory embraced in the snnrey amounted to sixty acres, and lay to the extreme west of what is now the town. Gomstock did not remain long in asr^ociation with Mr. Onstot. but speedily relinquislied his rights and
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.
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyEvery edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Mechanicsville. 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 Mechanicsville.
Between 195 and 1,173 people in every census since 1860.
17 censuses, 1860–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Mechanicsville’s Wikipedia page.
Mechanicsville’s post office has been open since 1858. Another post office, Pioneer Grove, 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 1855, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Mechanicsville’s post office opened in 1847, and the census of 1860 counted 195 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 (2), Wikipedia, 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.
2020
2004