Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: old-book passages.
The Ringwood post office opened in 1845, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1994.
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 Ringwood’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Ringwood.
Ringwood was settled in 1837 by Dr. Luke Hale and Wm. H. Beach, both native to Vermont. The original settlement was supposedly surrounded by a ring of trees, hence the name "Ringwood".
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Ringwood, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Ringwood was platted in section 9, township 45, range 8, July 2, 1878, by John Huermann. Solon was platted by Henry White, proprietor, November 13, 1840, the tract being situated in section 26, township 46, range 8.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Beach. Dr. Hale was a physician, and practiced here many years; both he and Beach came with their families from Vermont. The plat of Ringwood was made in 1854. The name was given through the fact that the little settlement was entirely surrounded by a ring of timber or woods, hence the name of Bingwood. It is a pleasant little village with a fair amount of business, and pleasant homes with beautiful surroundings.
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.
Nobody well known was born in Ringwood itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
The Ringwood post office opened in 1845, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1994.
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 (6), Wikipedia, 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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