Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1909 on and the census since 1880.
Thompsonville dates its founding to 1811 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1880.
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Thompsonville’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Thompsonville. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Thompsonville.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyFrom Wikipedia’s history of Thompsonville.
There was an early settlement started in the general vicinity called "Jordan's Settlement". It was founded in 1811.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Thompsonville, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The community of Thompsonville depends more largely than any other in the county upon agricultural and horticultural pursuits, and the farmers have always found the Thompsonville State Bank an institution ever ready to lend them any assistance needed, and at the time they needed it.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The town of Thompsonville is located on the I. C. R. R. near the center of the township and has a population of about 800. The town was founded by Richard Thompson when the railroad was built in 1878. “Dick” Thompson, as he was
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Thompsonville has a bank and an excellent bank build¬ ing and can boast of a very fine school and school building. Parrish is another station on the I. C. R. R. that has an important history. It was a trade center for wheat buying, and it is said bought more wheat then than any point in the county in its dayy Jones Bros, established the first dry goods store in Parrish and did a big business, then going to Benton, they continued to do a large business; from Benton to Kansas
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.
Between 172 and 610 people in every census since 1880.
15 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Thompsonville’s Wikipedia page.
Thompsonville’s post office has been open since 1879. Another post office, Cave, opened and closed inside today’s town.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
In 1811, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Thompsonville’s post office opened in 1847, and the census of 1880 counted 172 people here.
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
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 (3), 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), 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.
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