Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 98% of U.S. towns · #7 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
59 places in town are on the National Register, among them 3 National Historic Landmarks and three historic districts with 1,268 buildings between them. Below: 12 old photos and papers, maps from 1883 on, and the census since 1880.
Evanston dates its founding to 1836 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1880.
More historic than 98% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Evanston is more historic than 98% of U.S. towns, #7 of 768 in Illinois. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its age lowest.
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 Evanston’s 209 sits above most of its state (96% of Illinois towns have fewer) while its 1,593 historic buildings outnumber those of 99% of U.S. towns.
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 →
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. 3 are National Historic Landmarks, the highest tier.
★ Landmark
★ Landmark
★ Landmark
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Evanston’s post office has been open since 1855. Three other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikipedia’s history of Evanston.
Prior to the 1830s, the area now occupied by Evanston was mainly uninhabited, consisting largely of wetlands and swampy forest. However, Potawatomi Native Americans used trails along higher lying ridges that ran in a general north–south direction through the area, and had at least some semi-permanent settlements along the trails.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Evanston, cut from the printed page as they were published.
At first they considered a tract of land in the town of Jefferson, and later viewed other prospective sites. Finally, however, they decided on the present grounds at Evanston. Among the first members of the faculty were Abel Stevens, W. D. Goodman and H. S. Noyes. During the first year classical and scientific courses were founded and a little later the departments of law and applied science were added. The university was duly opened in November, 1855. Dr. Hinman had much to do in starting the institution on
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
building of the Chicago & Milwaukee Railroad through the county, in the summer ami fall of 1854, caused a rapid settlement of the country along its line. The road reached Evanston iu September nf that year, and was opened to Waukegan January 1, 1855. The survey of the road brought to the site of Evanston one of 'its earliest and best known citizen*, George Kearney. The young man accompanied his
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Tows ani» ViLLAHE LIMITS — By general statute the corporate limits of no town could include a territory more than one mile square. In December, 1863, the voters of the town or village of Evanston decided to be incorporated. The corporation was bounded on the south bv Dempster Street, wu the east by the lake, on the north by a line just south of the Garrett Biblical Institute and Foster Street, and on the west by Wesley
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Evanston, as a matter of fact, originated from the successful efforts to establish Northwestern university, but it would not have been laid out nor founded, nor would the university have been established there, had it not been for the railways. The university grounds were located upon land secured from Dr. John H. Foster of Chicago and others. When selected the site was imposing. In fact, it was one of the most attractive spots along the west shore of the lake. The university grounds were laid out and planned
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.
BuiltGrosse Point Light Station is built
In the archive1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Illinois - Cook County - Evanston - ED 16-175 - E…
In the archiveNorthwestern Female College
BuiltBuilding at 1101-1113 Maple Avenue is built
BuiltBuilding at 1209-1217 Maple Avenue is built
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
In the archivePresident Roosevelt's western tour - speaking at Evanston, Illinois
In the archiveEvanston Historical Society 1910 Proceedings
BuiltAndridge Apartments is built
Born hereEdmund Phelps is born here
Born hereEddie Vedder is born here4 decades in the archive, from the 1880s to the 1910s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
18801940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Illinois - Co…
18801940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Illinois - Co…1891Northwestern Female College
1896Looking North, Fountain Square1903President Roosevelt's western tour - speaking at Evan…
c. 1907Bird's-eye view of Northwestern UniversityPostcard
1907Public Library
1907View of a street including stores and bank
1907Bird's-eye view of Northwestern University
1909Lunt Library, Northwestern UniversityEvery edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Evanston. 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 Evanston.
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.
1883Sheet 2 of 4Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Evanston’s page.
Retake this view · +15Between 4,400 and 79,808 people in every census since 1880.
15 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Evanston’s Wikipedia page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1836, according to Wikidata. Evanston’s post office opened in 1850, and the census of 1880 counted 4,400 people here.
Evanston is more historic than 98% of U.S. towns, #7 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.
59 listings, 3 of them National Historic Landmarks: 54 buildings, among them the Frances Willard House (a National Historic Landmark since 1965), 3 historic districts, the Evanston Ridge Historic District, the Northeast Evanston Historic District and the Oakton Historic District, with 1,268 contributing buildings, 1 site, and 1 structure. 1,593 historic buildings in all.
40% of Evanston’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.2 points), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 1953.
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 (5), the Library of Congress (7), Wikidata (18), the National Register of Historic Places (59), 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, 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.
1911
