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South Holland Town CenterPhoto: Dennisyerger84 · CC BY-SA 4.0
C+History
History · South Holland

South Holland dates to 1847

More historic than 38% of U.S. towns · #482 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it

Most of South Holland was built recently: 4% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1966. Below: maps from 1892 on and the census since 1890.

1847founded
0on the National Register
4%homes built before 1940
4famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Dennisyerger84 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers

How South Holland began

When was South Holland founded?

1847

South Holland dates its founding to 1847 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1890.

First census: 1,005 in 18902020 census: 21,465179 years

How historic is South Holland?

C+

More historic than 38% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1870.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives South Holland’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, South Holland is more historic than 38% of U.S. towns, #482 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 South Holland’s overall grade.
Founding era1847, from Wikidata: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 19403.7% of homes (±1.5) · typical IL town 10.6% · U.S. 8.4%CNational RegisterNo listings counted · typical IL town 0.5 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 38%
NewerOlder
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)Ahead of 37%

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 South Holland’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 (±1.5 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1847.

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 South Holland’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of South Holland are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18928 editions of the USGS map, 1892 to 1991. Watch South Holland change.Deep rootsEstablished in 1847: 179 years of South Holland.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start South Holland’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how South Holland’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

South Holland on the map, 1892 to 1991

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of South Holland. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

South Holland on the 1892 USGS mapSouth Holland on the 1900 USGS mapSouth Holland on the 1929 USGS mapSouth Holland on the 1953 USGS mapSouth Holland on the 1960 USGS mapSouth Holland on the 1973 USGS mapSouth Holland on the 1980 USGS mapSouth Holland on the 1991 USGS map1892Calumet 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 South Holland.

Timeline

South Holland, 1847 to 1977

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1847
    FoundingSouth Holland is established
  3. 1870Post officeThe South Holland post office opens
  4. 1892On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  5. 20th century
  6. 1963Born herePaul Gilmartin is born here
  7. 1970Born hereKevin Drumm is born here
  8. 1977Born hereMark Mulder is born here
  9. 1977Born hereKevin DeYoung is born here
The story

How South Holland came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of South Holland.

Read it all →

The area currently occupied by South Holland, Illinois, was first settled in 1846 by immigrants from South Holland, Netherlands. When the community formally incorporated as a village in 1894, its population was about 1,000. Originally a general farming community, it later specialized in vegetable growing, especially onion sets. By the 1940s South Holland was known as the "Onion Set Capital of the World". The town was built on low ground near the Calumet River and was originally called de Laage Prairie (Low Prairie) to differentiate it from another Dutch settlement further north on higher ground and called de Hooge Prairie (now the Roseland neighborhood of Chicago).

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

South Holland, decade by decade

Today6 recent
Untitled photo2021Untitled photoUntitled photo2021Untitled photoUntitled photo2021Untitled photoUntitled photo2021Untitled photoSouth Holland Town Center2016South Holland Town CenterChicago Southland Lincoln Tollway Oasis2009Chicago Southland Lincoln Tollway Oasis
People over time

South Holland, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,0001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 24,977

Between 766 and 24,977 people in every census since 1890.

14 censuses, 1890–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on South Holland’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

4 famous people were born in South Holland

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Mark MulderAmerican baseball player · b. 1977
Kevin DrummAmerican musician · b. 1970
Kevin DeYoungAmerican theologian · b. 1977
P
Paul GilmartinAmerican comedian · b. 1963
Places that used to be

Old corners and places now gone

South Holland’s post office has been open since 1870.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Thornton Junction
Gone or out of use
Holy Ghost SchoolschoolRoosevelt SchoolschoolWaterman Schoolschool

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

HarveyIts storyC+ThorntonIts storyBCalumet CityIts storyC−DoltonIts storyC−Lansing1 historic placeC+PhoenixIts storyB−East Hazel CrestIts storyC+

Questions about South Holland’s history

What year was South Holland founded?

In 1847, according to Wikidata. South Holland’s post office opened in 1870, and the census of 1890 counted 1,005 people here.

How does South Holland rank for history?

South Holland is more historic than 38% of U.S. towns, #482 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 South Holland?

4% of South Holland’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.5 points), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 1966.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

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 (6), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) 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.