Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
84 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 5 buildings.
Paris dates its founding to 1863 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). Its post office opened in 1867.
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Paris’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Paris.
Paris was founded by Mormon pioneers, under the direction of Charles C. Rich on September 29, 1863. The settlers believed the town to be located in Utah until a survey in 1872 showed that it was in Idaho.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
BuiltAmos Hulme Barn is built
BuiltGrunder Cabin and Outbuildings is built
Born hereArthur Shepherd is born hereBuiltArthur Taylor House is builtBuiltBear Lake Market is builtWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Paris’s post office has been open since 1867.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
In 1863, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Paris’ post office opened in 1867.
84 listings: 82 buildings, among them the Bear Lake Stake Tabernacle (listed 1972, the first), 1 historic district, the Wives of Charles C. Rich Historic District, with 5 contributing buildings, and 1 site. 142 historic buildings in all.
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 Wikidata (5), the National Register of Historic Places (84), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
