Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1954 on and the census since 1880.
Pleasanton dates its founding to 1854 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1880.
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 Pleasanton’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Pleasanton.
Pleasanton was founded in 1854. It was originally called Pleasant Plain, but the name was changed to avoid confusion with another community of that same name in the state. The present name is commendatory.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Peaked at 266 in 1920; 32 people lived here in 2020.
14 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Pleasanton’s Wikipedia page.
Passages that mention Pleasanton, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The Village of Pleasanton was laid out in the spring of 18.54 by Daniel Bartholow, and named Pleasant Plains. One-half of the land was given by Bartholow and the other half by AVilliam Snook.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The first building erected for a schoolhouse was a large log house built in northeast Pleasanton. It is now used as an icehouse. W. S. Warnock and Louis Hastings were two of the early teachers in this building. Among the early students of this school are W. J. Sullivan, Doctor Foxworthy, now of Leon; John Painter, of Pleasanton; Dr.
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 Pleasanton. 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 Pleasanton.
Pleasanton had its own post office from 1870 to 1964. Another post office, Nine Eagles, 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 1854, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Pleasanton’s post office opened in 1849, and the census of 1880 counted 117 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.
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