More historic than 18% of U.S. towns · #655 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Most of Huntley was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 2004. Below: 6 old photos and papers, maps from 1919 on, and the census since 1880.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Huntley is more historic than 18% of U.S. towns, #655 of 768 in Illinois. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Huntley’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 Huntley’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (28% of Illinois towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1851.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to C−. The pre-1940 share (±0.9 points) is firm at this size.
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 Huntley’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Huntley. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1925Elgin sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Huntley.
The story so far
Huntley, in brief
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Huntley yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Huntley is a village in McHenry and Kane counties, Illinois, United States. As of the 2021 census it had a population of 28,008. It is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area.
Huntley was established in 1851. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 24,291 to 27,740 (+14%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
From the old history books
What they wrote about Huntley, 1885–1922
Passages that mention Huntley, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of McHenry County, Illinois1885 · page 660Read the page →
Read the text
Betsey (Beebe) Farr, lived to be over eighty years of age, and at the time of her death had 104 descendants. Abner "W". Nash remained in New York till 1866, when he came to McHenry County and bought two large farms near Huntley, which he sold in 1884, and bought 440 acres of land in Sac County, Iowa. He lives in the village of Huntley, where by his enterprise and liberality he has become one of the most prominent and influential citizens.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of McHenry County, Illinois1922 · page 336Read the page →
Read the text
Huntley was platted as "Huntley station" in sections 28 and 33, in township 43, range 7, by Thomas S. Huntley. The date was April 14, 1853.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of McHenry County, Illinois1885 · page 641Read the page →
Read the text
The village of Huntley was incorporated in 1872. The following is a list of the first officers elected : John S. Cummings, President; John P. Skeels, Clerk; II. B. Brown, Treasurer; F. J.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of McHenry County, Illinois1922 · page 398Read the page →
Read the text
Death first invaded the home of Charles Stowell and wife and claimed a two-year-old daughter, and she was laid away beneath the prairie sod in the eastern edge of the village of Huntley. The first to unite in marriage in this township were Sanford Haight and Miss Mary A. Sprague. They were made man and wife by Beman Crandall, a justice of the peace of this township.
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.
Timeline
Huntley, 1851 to 1925
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1851, according to Wikidata. Huntley’s post office opened in 1851, and the census of 1880 counted 505 people here.
How does Huntley rank for history?
Huntley is more historic than 18% of U.S. towns, #655 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.
How old are the homes in Huntley?
2% of Huntley’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 2004.
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 (6), the Library of Congress (6), 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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