Most of Norris City was built recently: 10% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1971. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1905 on, and the census since 1880.
Founding year: the first Norris City post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Wikidata: 1901.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Norris City’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Norris City is more historic than 29% of U.S. towns. 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 Norris City’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 Norris City’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 (±6.0 points). The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date; Wikidata gives 1901.
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 Norris City’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Norris City was incorporated in 1901. The original plat of Norris City was filed in the White County Courthouse in Carmi, Illinois on August 17, 1871. The post office at Norris City was established May 15, 1871, with William A. Johnson appointed as the first Postmaster.
The name for Norris City had to have been decided prior to the time it was platted and prior to the opening of the post office. The question of how Norris City got its name has caused many debates throughout the years.
Passages that mention Norris City, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of White County Illinois1883 · page 870Read the page →
Read the text
The village of Norris City, the largest in Indian Creek Town¬ ship, owes its development and business importance to the fact of its being situated at the junction of two important railroads, the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific (formerly the Cairo & Vincennes), and the Ohio & Mississippi. The former was built through this point in 1872, and the latter in 1870 and 1871. The first house built here was erected by Grovey Harper, in 1871, and was known as the McKenzie House. It is still used as a hotel, and is now
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of White County Illinois1883 · page 877Read the page →
Read the text
The Village Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized Sept. 22, 1819, and the church building was located on section 11, south of Norris City. It is one ot the oldest religious organiza¬ tions in this part of the State, and derives its name as follows : In the early day several families settled in the vicinity, and the custom became prevalent of calling their settlement “ The Village,” hence their church became “The Village Church.” It is beauti¬ fully situated on a little knoll, and near it is the old grave-yard,
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
Norris City, 1871 to 1943
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.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Norris City. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1905Eldorado 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 Norris City.
Every building
Norris City, building by building, 1906–1912
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
1906Sheet 1 of 1
Edition
Sheets
BrickWoodStone
Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Then & now
Stand where they stood
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Retake this view“Big Inch” opening, 1943
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Norris City’s page.
Between 40 and 1,515 people in every census since 1880.
15 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Norris City’s Wikipedia page.
Questions about Norris City’s history
What year was Norris City founded?
The Norris City post office opened in 1871, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1901.
How does Norris City rank for history?
Norris City is more historic than 29% 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.
How old are the homes in Norris City?
10% of Norris City’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.0 points), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 1971.
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), Wikipedia, 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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