Urbana Township dates to 1833, and 1 of its places is on the National Register
More historic than 73% of U.S. towns · #242 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Most of Urbana Township was built recently: 8% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1980. 1 place in town is on the National Register, among them a historic district with 5 buildings. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1906 on, and the census since 1850.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Urbana Township is more historic than 73% of U.S. towns, #242 of 768 in Illinois. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Urbana 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 Urbana Township’s 6.6 sits above most of its state (79% of Illinois towns have fewer) while its 5 historic buildings outnumber those of 70% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1833.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.8 points).
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 Urbana 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 Urbana Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1906Urbana 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 Urbana Township.
Timeline
Urbana Township, 1833 to 1923
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
The Urbana area was first settled by Europeans in 1822, when it was called "Big Grove". When the county of Champaign was organized in 1833, the county seat was located on 40 acres of land, 20 acres donated by William T. Webber and 20 acres by M. W. Busey, considered to be the city's founder, and the name "Urbana" was adopted after Urbana, Ohio, the hometown of State Senator John W. Vance, who authored the enabling act creating Champaign County. The creation of the new town was celebrated for the first time on July 4, 1833.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1833, according to Wikidata. the census of 1850 counted 210 people here.
How does Urbana Township rank for history?
Urbana Township is more historic than 73% of U.S. towns, #242 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.
What is on the National Register in Urbana Township?
One place: the University of Illinois Experimental Dairy Farm Historic District (listed 1994).
How old are the homes in Urbana Township?
8% of Urbana Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.8 points), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 1980.
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 (5), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (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.
1917
1917