Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: old-book passages.
The Mendon post office opened in 1837, the earliest record of the town by name.
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 Mendon’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Mendon.
Mendon was platted in 1833 under the name of Fairfield. However, there was another Fairfield in Illinois, so the village name was changed to Mendon. In 1867, Mendon was incorporated as a village.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Mendon, cut from the printed page as they were published.
In February, 1833, he purchased the northeast quarter of the same section eleven, and soon after laid out and platted the village of Mendon, building himself a house on lot thirteen, which he occupied three years. Subsequently he sold out all his interest in the village, and retired to liis farm, ton miles north of Mendon, where he continued
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The village of Mendon was first laid out by Col. John B. Chittenden, in 1833; various additions have since been made from time to time by different parties. By a special act of the Legislature, in 1867, it was incorporated as a town, its limits embracing a territory one mile square. It is' located near the center of the township, on probably the highest point of land in the county, and has a very commanding view of the surrounding country. Its affairs are managed liy a board of live trustees, one of whom is president of the board. Its streets and alleys are of liberal width, kept
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In 1831 Samuel and Elizabeth Bradley left their old home in Connecticut, and after a long journey fraught with many hardships reached Adams County, and in the spring of 1832 bouglit land two miles west of the present Village of Mendon. Samuel Bradley was one of the leaders in a notable colony of New England people, which included also Col. John B. Chittenden. They brought with them their New England stui"diness of character and their devotion to religion, and it was at a little log cabin of Samuel Bradley that the first meeting was held February 7, 1833, for the organization of a Congregational Church
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The village of Mendon was first laid out by Col. John B. Chittenden, in 1S33; various additions have since been made from time to time by different parties. By a special act of the Legislature, in 186Y, it was incor- ■- porated as a town, its limits embracing a territory one mile square. It is i located near the center of the township, on probably the highest point of \ land in tlie county, and has a very commanding view of the surrounding I country. Its affairs are managed by a board of five trustees, one of whom ' is president of the board. Its streets and alleys are of liberal width, kept j
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.
The Mendon post office opened in 1837, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
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). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (2), Wikidata (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System 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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