Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1893 on and the census since 1850.
Dover dates its founding to 1833 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1850.
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 Dover’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Dover. 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 Dover.
Peaked at 362 in 1860; 135 people lived here in 2020.
18 censuses, 1850–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Dover’s Wikipedia page.
From Wikipedia’s history of Dover.
Dover was platted in 1833, and named after Dover, New Hampshire, the native home of a first settler. A post office has been in operation at Dover since 1839. Joseph R. Peterson (1904–1967), Illinois lawyer and state legislator; served as mayor of Dover in 1929 and 1930
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Dover, cut from the printed page as they were published.
ing is now used as a residence. The railway company built the elevator in 1854-5, which has led to the shipment of large quantities of grain from this point. Prior to the advent of the railroad, all trade in the immediate vicinity of Maiden went to the village of Dover. This was, however, clianged, and, at first, it appeared as though this would be the station for the latter place. Yet a town soon appeared. Other stores were built, shops of various kinds were built, school and church privileges were added, and the village soon became a reality.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The North Prairie Baptist Church was organized in 1859, in the Holliday School-house, in Dover Township, with about twenty members. They continued to worship here and in private houses until 1865, when they erected a church which cost $1,200. Until the year 1870 their growth was rapid, and reached a maximum of one hundred and sixty-two. Since then, owing to removals, deaths, and other causes, the number is now only sixty. The ministers have been Revs. J. G. Johnson, S. Holroyd, J. Wilder, J. D. Pulis, H. C. First, and J. B. Brown. At
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.
Born hereBurnett Mitchell Chiperfield is born here
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1833, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Dover’s post office opened in 1839, and the census of 1850 counted 103 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.
