Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1937 on and the census since 1870.
Alhambra dates its founding to 1849 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1870.
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 Alhambra’s history is told.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Born hereUdell H. Stallings is born here
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyFrom Wikipedia’s history of Alhambra.
Alhambra was laid out in 1849. The name was inspired by Tales of the Alhambra by Washington Irving.
The first cooperative soybean processing unit in Illinois, the Alhambra Grain & Feed Co., was located in the village. It began full production on March 1, 1945.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Alhambra, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Aldrich, Anson, 524 Aldrich, Robert, 522, 523, 524 Alhambra, 175 Alhambra school house (illustration), 463 Alhambra township — Early settlers from the south, 459; Alhambra village laid out, 461; business and banking, 462; grain and produce center, 464; Kaufmann, 464
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Pearce was one of the members of the move¬ ment to incorporate the town of Alhambra, and since they succeeded in their efforts, in 1884, he has been incumbent of the following offices, — supervisor of the township, assessor for several terms, school director and trustee, and for several terms he has filled the posi¬ tion of mayor of Alhambra, which office he
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The first postmaster at Green Castle was Robert D. Utiger, and John Lowry the first at Alhambra in 1849. The postoffice at Green Castle was moved to Alhambra on the comple¬ tion of the first railroad through the village in 1883.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Alhambra. — William Davenport had the honor of having taught the first school within the present limits of Alhambra township. He took posession of an empty cabin, in the Hoxey neighborhood. He taught but a short time. In 183'2 a house was erected for school purposes, on section 19, and George Denney was the first to occupy it as a teacher.
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.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Alhambra. 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 Alhambra.
Between 101 and 709 people in every census since 1870.
15 censuses, 1870–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Alhambra’s Wikipedia page.
Alhambra’s post office has been open since 1851.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
In 1849, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Alhambra’s post office opened in 1851, and the census of 1870 counted 101 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 Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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.
