On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Leland Grove is more historic than 88% of U.S. towns. All 2 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its share of homes from before 1940 ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.
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HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Leland Grove’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 Leland Grove’s 6.6 sits above most of its state (79% of Illinois towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±10.1 points).
Founding year: our sources. 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 Leland Grove’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Leland Grove was incorporated by a referendum of residents of several subdivisions in Woodside Township in April 1950 in order to improve the roads in the area, which at the time were mostly unpaved dirt roads. The city had an initial population of 1,060 people, and later grew by annexing additional subdivisions in the area. The new city succeeded in paving nine miles of roads in its first year and half, although this led to a significant budget deficit. The first city government, consisting of a mayor, clerk, treasurer and six aldermen, was voted in without opposition on June 20, 1950.
Leland Grove is more historic than 88% of U.S. towns. 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.
What is on the National Register in Leland Grove?
One place: the Alvin S. Keys House (listed 1994).
How old are the homes in Leland Grove?
31% of Leland Grove’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±10.1 points), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 1952.
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), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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