Crete dates to 1836, and 1 of its places is on the National Register
More historic than 72% of U.S. towns · #247 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Most of Crete was built recently: 9% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1976. Its Register listing is the Joseph Ferris Perry House. Below: maps from 1893 on and the census since 1880.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Crete is more historic than 72% of U.S. towns, #247 of 768 in Illinois. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Crete’s overall grade.
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 Crete’s 3.6 sits above most of its state (72% of Illinois towns have fewer) while its 3 historic buildings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.1 points). Two sources give 1836.
Founding year: Wikidata (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 →
What stands out about Crete’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
1893Sheet 1 of 1
Edition
Sheets
BrickWoodStone
Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Crete, 1836 to 1996
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Crete yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Crete is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. It is a far south suburb of Chicago, 30 miles from the Loop and only 6 miles from the Indiana border. The population was 8,465 at the 2020 census. Originally named Wood's Corner, it was founded in 1836 by Vermonters Dyantha Wood, Willard Wood & Gary Neal.
Crete was established in 1836. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 8,259 to 8,465 (+2%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
From the old history books
What they wrote about Crete in 1878
Passages that mention Crete, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The history of Will County, Illinois, containing a history of the county ... a directory of its real estate owners1878 · page 554Read the page →
Read the text
The original settlements of Crete Township were four, and quite distinct. The settlements of Thorn Grove, Beebe s Grove and Wood's Corners, on the State road, were almost identical as to time, but divided as to locality more definitely than are the townships of to-day. Especially was this the case with the two grove settlements ; while Wood's Corners, now the village of Crete, being just on the borders of Thorn Grove, partook more of the identity of that settlement. The German settlement, which began a few years later, though not confined to any one locality, was yet distinct, in that the people were from the
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The history of Will County, Illinois, containing a history of the county ..1878 · page 554Read the page →
Read the text
The original settlements of Crete Township were four, and quite distinct. The settlements of Thorn Grove, Beebe s Grove and Wood's Corners, on the State road, were almost identical as to time, but divided as to locality more definitely than are the townships of to-day. Especially was this the case with the two grove settlements ; while Wood's Corners, now the village of Crete, being just on the borders of Thorn Grove, partook more of the identity of that settlement. The German settlement, which began a few years later, though not confined to any one locality, was yet distinct, in that the people were from the
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The history of Will County, Illinois, containing a history of the county ... a directory of its real estate owners1878 · page 555Read the page →
Read the text
sire of the human kind for society, or even the frequent sight of his species, the "Big Road," all along its extent, became a continuous settlement. Willard Wood was the nucleus or founder of the Corners, or what has developed into the village of Crete, and, in 1849, laid out the town. Mr. Wood has probably been more closely identified with the interests of this vicinity and of the wholfr township than any other man. Willard Wood taught the first school, in the Winter of 1837-38, a short distance north of the Corners ; and, in 1840, was appointed first School Treasurer. Charles Wood was a brother, but does not
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The history of Will County, Illinois, containing a history of the county ..1878 · page 555Read the page →
Read the text
sire of the human kind for society, or even the frequent sight of his species, the "Big Road," all along its extent, became a continuous settlement. Willard AVood was the nucleus or founder of the Corners, or what has developed into the village of Crete, and, in 1849, laid out the town. Mr. Wood has probably been more closely identified with the interests of this vicinity and of the whole township than any other man. Willard Wood taught the first school, in the Winter of 1837-38, a short distance north of the Corners ; and, in 1840, was appointed first School Treasurer. Charles Wood was a brother, but does not
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.
In 1836, according to Wikidata. Crete’s post office opened in 1838, and the census of 1880 counted 539 people here.
How does Crete rank for history?
Crete is more historic than 72% of U.S. towns, #247 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.
What is on the National Register in Crete?
One place: the Joseph Ferris Perry House (listed 2022).
How old are the homes in Crete?
9% of Crete’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.1 points), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 1976.
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 (4), the National Register of Historic Places (1), 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, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) 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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