Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 76% of U.S. towns · #212 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Its Register listings are . Below: maps from 1893 on and the census since 1880.
Hamilton dates its founding to 1852 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1880.
More historic than 76% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Hamilton is more historic than 76% of U.S. towns, #212 of 768 in Illinois. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls 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 Hamilton’s 25.8 sits above most of its state (88% of Illinois towns have fewer) while its 7 historic buildings outnumber those of 73% 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 first neighbors to add old photos shape how Hamilton’s history is told.
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 2Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
From Wikipedia’s history of Hamilton.
Hamilton was laid out in 1852 by several men in the area, including Samuel Gordon and Bryant Bartlett. Hamilton was officially incorporated as a town in 1854, and then re-incorporated as a city in 1859. Artois Hamilton, for whom the town was named, was also active in the early history of the town.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Hamilton, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Dahlgren is situated on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, in the northwestern part of Hamilton County, eleven miles from McLeansboro. it began to be settled in December, 1870. It was the result of the building of the railroad, and was named in honor of Gen. Dahlgren, who at that time had, it is believed, an interest in the road. The town was originally built on land owned by Abel Kuykendall and A. M. Sturman. The first building was erected by James Steell in 1870 for the purpose of sell-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Clark, although he could muster only one hundred and thirty men, determined to take advantage of Hamilton's weakness and security, and attack him as the only means of saving himself; for unless he captured Hamilton, Hamilton would capture him. Accordingly, about the beginning of February, 1779, he dispatched a small galley which he had fitted out, mounted with two four-pounders and four swivels and manned with a company of soldiers, and carrying stores for his men, with orders to force her way up the Wabash, to take
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The men who entered the Union Army from Hamilton County were distributed among various regiments of infantry and cavalry. The history, in brief, of the Fortieth Regiment is here introduced: It was enlisted in the counties of Hamilton, Franklin, Wayne, White, Wabash, Marion, Fayette and Clay. On the 10th of August, 1861, the regiment, with ten companies, reported at Springfield, 111., and was mustered into the service of the United States for three years. The officers of the regiment
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 hereMary Safford is born here
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyEvery edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Hamilton. 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 Hamilton.
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. One is a National Historic Landmark, the highest tier.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Between 1,025 and 3,509 people in every census since 1880.
15 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Hamilton’s Wikipedia page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Hamilton’s post office has been open since 1853. Another post office, Oakwood, 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).
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1852, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Hamilton’s post office opened in 1853, and the census of 1880 counted 1,025 people here.
Hamilton is more historic than 76% of U.S. towns, #212 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.
25% of Hamilton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±8.6 points), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 1965.
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 (2), 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.
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