More historic than 40% of U.S. towns · #462 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Most of Smithton was built recently: 5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 2000. Below: maps from 1912 on and the census since 1880.
Founding year: the first Smithton post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).
History grade
What drives Smithton’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Smithton is more historic than 40% of U.S. towns, #462 of 768 in Illinois. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
C+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Smithton’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 Smithton’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 B−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.6 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 Smithton’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Smithton. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1912New Athens 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 Smithton.
The story so far
Smithton, in brief
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Smithton yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Smithton is a village in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,006 in the 2020 United States census. It is part of the Metro East region of Greater Saint Louis.
Its first post office opened in 1839. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 3,693 to 4,006 (+8%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
From the old history books
What they wrote about Smithton, 1881–1928
Passages that mention Smithton, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of St. Clair County, Illinois. With illustrations ... and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers1881 · page 363Read the page →
Read the text
Smithton (the post-office name) was laid off by Benjamin I. Smith, April 29th, 1854, in fourteen lots. It lies to the east of Georgetown. Several additio s have been made, notably by the Franklin Mill Company, of the north-west quarter of the north-east quarter section 33, May 27, 1859 ; by Amos T. Barker, of 48 lots north of the above, July 29th, 1859 ; and by B. I. Smith, his fourth addition of thirty-two lots, April 27th, 1865 ; and by Christ. Gauch, of forty-eight lots, March 15, 1867. The population of the com-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Centennial, McKendree college, with St. Clair County history1928Read the page →
Read the text
patrolman, he has served for sixteen years in the capacity of township clerk. Since 1917 he has filled the position of township commissioner of Smithton Township. Mr. Kunz was elected mayor of Smithton in 1924, an office which he still holds. He has been clerk for the Modern Woodmen in his community for twenty-five years. Well liked and highly respected, Mr.
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.
By decade
No old photos in the archives yet
Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Be the first to add onePhotograph a print flat, in daylight, no flash.
The Smithton post office opened in 1839, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does Smithton rank for history?
Smithton is more historic than 40% of U.S. towns, #462 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 Smithton?
5% of Smithton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.6 points), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 2000.
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 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 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.
