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History · Tampico Township

Tampico Township’s post office opened in 1870, and 30% of its homes were built before 1940

1 place in town is on the National Register. Below: maps from 1936 on and the census since 1880.

1870first post office
1on the National Register
30%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: IvoShandor · CC BY 2.5
Quick answers

How Tampico Township began

When was Tampico Township founded?

1870

The Tampico Township post office opened in 1870, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1875.

First census: 424 in 18802020 census: 1,004156 years
Founding year: the first Tampico Township post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Wikidata: 1875.The full story ↓

What stands out about Tampico Township’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 Tampico Township are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Boom and bustPeaked at 966 in 1980; 689 people lived here in 2020.Old housesHalf of Tampico Township’s homes were built before 1960.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Tampico Township’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Tampico Township’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
People over time

Tampico Township, census by census

02004006008001,00018801900192019401960198020002020Peak: 966

Peaked at 966 in 1980; 689 people lived here in 2020.

15 censuses, 1880–2020.

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

The story

How Tampico Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Tampico Township.

Read it all →

The area containing the future Tampico township was a slough. The first European settlers arrived in 1852. The township of Tampico was established in 1861. John W. Glassburn was the founder of Tampico. In 1863–64, the area was drained. The local railroad CB&Q went into service in 1871 and was taken out in the early 1980s. In June 1874, a tornado struck, destroying 27 buildings. In 1875, the village of Tampico was incorporated.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Tampico Township, decade by decade

Today5 recent
Moring Disposal2012Moring DisposalFarm Museum, Tampico, IL2012Farm Museum, Tampico, ILTampico Township Whiteside2007Tampico Township WhitesideILMap-doton-Tampico2006ILMap-doton-TampicoTampicoSignjesster7906072004AD2004TampicoSignjesster7906072004AD
On the map

Tampico Township on the map, 1936 to 1982

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

Tampico Township on the 1936 USGS mapTampico Township on the 1982 USGS map1936Prophetstown 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 Tampico Township.

On the National Register

1 listing protects 13 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
13
each building in a district counts

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Places that used to be

Places now gone

Gone or out of use
Highland SchoolschoolMaple Hill SchoolschoolOlson SchoolschoolPleasant Hill SchoolschoolSunnyside Schoolschool

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.

Hume TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townHahnaman TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townProphetstown Township1 historic placeAFairfield Township1 historic placenot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Tampico Township’s history

What year was Tampico Township founded?

The Tampico Township post office opened in 1870, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1875.

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). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (5), Wikidata (1), 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.