The Little Rock Township post office opened in 1837, the earliest record of the town by name. Another post office, Little Rock (1837), opened inside today’s town and later closed.
2020 census: 14,036189 years
How historic is Little Rock Township?
A−
More historic than 75% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: the first Little Rock Township post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).
History grade
What drives Little Rock Township’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Little Rock Township is more historic than 75% of U.S. towns, #223 of 768 in Illinois. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Little Rock Township’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 Little Rock Township’s 4.1 sits above most of its state (73% of Illinois towns have fewer) while its 6 listings outnumber those of 72% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.3 points). The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date.
Founding year: the first post office (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 Little Rock Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Little Rock Township yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Little Rock is an unincorporated community in Little Rock Township, Kendall County, Illinois. It is located in the far northwestern corner of the county. Big Rock lies to the northeast, Hinckley lies to the northwest, Plano lies to the southeast, and Sandwich lies to the southwest of the village. The community originated as a stagecoach stop along Galena Road (also known as Chicago Road to the west of Little Rock). The community is named for Little Rock Creek, which flows on the community's western side.
Its first post office opened in 1837. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 13,076 to 14,036 (+7%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
By decade
No old photos in the archives yet
Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Be the first to add onePhotograph a print flat, in daylight, no flash.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Little Rock Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1948Sandwich 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 Little Rock Township.
Places that used to be
Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds
Another post office, Little Rock, opened and closed inside today’s town.
The Little Rock Township post office opened in 1837, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does Little Rock Township rank for history?
Little Rock Township is more historic than 75% of U.S. towns, #223 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.
What is on the National Register in Little Rock Township?
6 listings: 1 building, among them the Farnsworth House (a National Historic Landmark since 2006).
How old are the homes in Little Rock Township?
10% of Little Rock Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.3 points), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 2001.
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 the National Register of Historic Places (1), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) 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.
★ Landmark
