More historic than 15% of U.S. towns · #690 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Most of Stickney Township was built recently: 8% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1962. Below: maps from 1891 on and the census since 1920.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Stickney Township is more historic than 15% of U.S. towns, #690 of 768 in Illinois. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Stickney Township’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 Stickney Township’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.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1913.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to C−. The pre-1940 share (±2.1 points) is firm at this size.
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 Stickney Township’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 Stickney Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1891Riverside 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 Stickney Township.
Before modern settlement, the area now known as Stickney was once covered by Mud Lake, a marshy area that only began to recede after the construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. After this, the land where Stickney is became drier, and early residents, such as Dutch and German farmers moved there.
On December 13th, 1913, The Village of Stickney was officially incorporated. It was named after native of Maine, Alpheaus Beede Stickney, who was the president of the Chicago Great Western Railway. Starting in the 1920s, neighboring communities such as Berwyn, and Cicero started to expand, as well as Stickney. Around that time, criminals including Al Capone moved in, establishing speakeasies and brothels.
In 1913, according to Wikidata. Stickney Township’s post office opened in 1835, and the census of 1920 counted 550 people here.
How does Stickney Township rank for history?
Stickney Township is more historic than 15% of U.S. towns, #690 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 Stickney Township?
8% of Stickney Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.1 points), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 1962.
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 Wikipedia, 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.
