More historic than 28% of U.S. towns · #571 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Most of Ludlow Township was built recently: 9% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1972. Below: maps from 1924 on and the census since 1880.
The Ludlow Township post office opened in 1867, the earliest record of the town by name. Another post office, Prospect (1878), opened inside today’s town and later closed.
First census: 293 in 18802020 census: 4,077159 years
How historic is Ludlow Township?
C
More historic than 28% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: the first Ludlow Township post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Ludlow Township’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Ludlow Township is more historic than 28% of U.S. towns, #571 of 768 in Illinois. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
C
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Ludlow 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 Ludlow Township’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.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to C. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.4 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 Ludlow Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Peaked at 531 in 1970; 308 people lived here in 2020.
15 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Ludlow Township’s Wikipedia page.
On the map
Ludlow Township on the map, 1924 to 1984
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Ludlow Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1924Paxton 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 Ludlow Township.
Once named Pera Station, Ludlow, a prairie town in northern Champaign County, Illinois, has a rich history dating back to its days as a stop on the Illinois Central Railroad. This settlement played a crucial role in connecting the region's rural communities and facilitating trade between Urbana and Loda. The village was renamed Ludlow in 1868 after James D. Ludlow, a shareholder in the Illinois Central Railroad. The construction of the railroad brought about a significant influx of settlers to Ludlow, many were attracted by the area's fertile soil and vast prairies. The early years saw rapid growth, with James Ludlow donating land to the village for its expansion. The village grew to include two churches, becoming a hub for community gatherings and worship. The village continued to expand including a hardware store, as well as two blacksmith shops were established. Additionally, the "Lu…
The Ludlow Township post office opened in 1867, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does Ludlow Township rank for history?
Ludlow Township is more historic than 28% of U.S. towns, #571 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 Ludlow Township?
9% of Ludlow Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.4 points), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 1972.
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 (4), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), 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.
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2024
2007
2007