Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: old-book passages.
The Greenfield post office opened in 1837, the earliest record of the town by name.
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 Greenfield’s history is told.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Born hereWilliam H. Boring is born here
Born hereEulabee Dix is born hereWikipedia doesn’t have a history of Greenfield yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Its first post office opened in 1837. Its population held steady between the last two censuses: 1,071 in 2010, 1,059 in 2020.
Passages that mention Greenfield, cut from the printed page as they were published.
"PAITH G. W. plasterer, Greenfield Farthing , salesman. Sec. 34, P.O- Rockbridge Finch Thomas, physician, Greenfield Finley B. W. grocer, Greenfield Finley M. clerk, Greenfield Finley W. L. grocer, Greenfield Fishburn Jacob, retired, Greenfield
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
At present one of the most attractive features in Greenfield societyis her educational facilities. To say that Greenfield public schools can compare most favorably with those of other cities and towns, is stating a fact well authenticated. The buildings are situated on a high hill in the eastern part of the town, long bridges span the deep ravines and make the approach easy, and the yards are never muddy. On the east, one overlooks the lowlands of the Rubicon; on the north, the public highway trailing up the valley below ; on the west and south, the town in general
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
At present one of the most attractive features in Greenfield societyis her educational facilities. To say that Greenfield public schools can compare most favorably with .those of other cities and towns, is stating a fact well authenticated. The buildings are situated on a high hill in the eastern part of the town, long bridges span the deep ravines and make the approach easy, and the yards are never muddy. On the east, one overlooks the lowlands of the Rubicon; on the north, the public highway trailing up the valley below ; on the west and south, the town in general
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Greenfield had hitherto experienced the manifold evils of isolation, the potent cause of its tardy growth and want of general prosperity. Whilst compelled to witness the inspiring influence of the railroad upon the advance and rapid increase of neighboring towns, she was equally forced to see herself languish from want of connection with the outside world by means of this arterial communicatio'n with the centers of activity ; and such she saw was destined to be her condition until such connection should be established.
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.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
The Greenfield post office opened in 1837, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
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 Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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.
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