Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 55% of U.S. towns · #362 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Below: maps from 1924 on and the census since 1880.
Auburn Township dates its founding to 1836 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1880.
More historic than 55% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Auburn Township is more historic than 55% of U.S. towns, #362 of 768 in Illinois. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
Few Illinois towns list much on the Register (a typical Illinois town has 0.5 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Auburn Township’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (28% of Illinois towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
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 Auburn Township’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Auburn Township. 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 Auburn Township.
From Wikipedia’s history of Auburn Township.
Auburn was originally platted in 1836, a mile north of its present location. It was one of several towns named Auburn that were platted in Illinois during the town lot boom of the 1830s. George and Asa Eastman, who had purchased a large amount of land in the area, platted the town. Their sister Hannah named it for Auburn, Maine, near their family home.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Auburn Township, cut from the printed page as they were published.
1878, is a school teacher in the Sangamon County schools; Lydia Belle, born September 23, 1875, wife of Miles Fanham, lives on a farm in Auburn Township; William H., born January 26, 1877, lives in Chatham Township; John A., born October 30, 1879, lives with his father.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
cepted a position on the new railroad being built through that section. In 1881 he made his advent in Sangamon County, first working by the month on a farm in Auburn Township, continuing this occupation about eight years. In 1889 he rented a farm near Cotton Hill, where he carried on farming operations successfully until 1901, when he rented a larger farm, remaining
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.
Between 288 and 4,771 people in every census since 1880.
15 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Auburn Township’s Wikipedia page.
Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.
Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1836, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Auburn Township’s post office opened in 1839, and the census of 1880 counted 288 people here.
Auburn Township is more historic than 55% of U.S. towns, #362 of 768 in Illinois. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
14% of Auburn Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.1 points), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 1976.
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).
From Wikimedia Commons (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), 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.
2026