More historic than 6% of U.S. towns · #747 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Most of Riverwoods was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1988. Below: maps from 1900 on and the census since 1960.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Riverwoods is more historic than 6% of U.S. towns, #747 of 768 in Illinois. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
D
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Riverwoods’ 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 Riverwoods’ 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 D− to D. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.2 points). Two sources give 1949.
Founding year: Wikidata (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 Riverwoods’ past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
In 1885 a station for the Wisconsin Central Railroad was built near the modern day intersection of Deerfield Road and North Milwaukee Avenue that over time caused an increase in the local population. The first half of the 20th-century saw Riverwoods as a popular vacation spot. The Des Plaines River was often frequented by outdoorsman.
In 1959 the locals had Riverwoods incorporated as a village in order to halt development and protect their woodlands.
The 565 acre Edward L. Ryerson Conservation Area is considered the soul of the community after the Ryerson family began donating their land to the Lake County Forest Preserves in 1966.
In 1949, according to Wikidata. the census of 1960 counted 96 people here.
How does Riverwoods rank for history?
Riverwoods is more historic than 6% of U.S. towns, #747 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 Riverwoods?
2% of Riverwoods’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.2 points), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 1988.
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, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) 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.
2006
2006