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A−History
History · Washington

Washington dates to 1825, and 12% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 76% of U.S. towns · #217 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it

Its Register listings are the Cemetery Road Bridge, the Dement-Zinser House and the Denhart Bank Building. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1886 on, and the census since 1850.

1825founded
3on the National Register
12%homes built before 1940
1old photo or paper
2famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Washington’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Washington began

When was Washington founded?

1825

Washington dates its founding to 1825 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1850.

First census: 712 in 18502020 census: 16,071201 years

How historic is Washington?

A−

More historic than 76% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1837.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Washington’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Washington is more historic than 76% of U.S. towns, #217 of 768 in Illinois. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Washington’s overall grade.
Founding era1825, from Wikipedia: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 194011.9% of homes (±2.9) · typical IL town 10.6% · U.S. 8.4%B−National Register3 listings, 4 historic buildings, 2.5 per 10,000 residents · typical IL town 0.5 · U.S. 2.4B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 76%
NewerOlder
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)Ahead of 72%

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 Washington’s 2.5 sits above most of its state (68% of Illinois towns have fewer) while its 4 historic buildings outnumber those of 68% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A−. The pre-1940 share (±2.9 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1825.

Founding year: Wikipedia (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 Washington’s past

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

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 1 old photo is in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Mapped building by building4 fire insurance maps, 1886 to 1910, drew every building in Washington.Deep rootsEstablished in 1825: 201 years of Washington.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Washington’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Date a photo1 archive item has no date. Guess the decade.+2Retake an old viewWashington, Ill., December 7, 2013 -- D…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Every building

Washington, building by building, 1886–1910

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.

Washington fire insurance map, 1886, sheet 11886Sheet 1 of 2
Edition
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Timeline

Washington, 1825 to 1954

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1825
    FoundingWashington is established
  3. 1837Post officeThe Washington post office opens
  4. 20th century
  5. 1916Born hereClaire E. Hutchin, Jr. is born here
  6. 1928On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  7. 1954Born hereTim Tully is born here
The story

How Washington came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Washington.

Read it all →

Washington was settled in 1825 by William Holland Sr., who came from North Carolina and was hired by the U.S. government to provide blacksmith services to the local Native Americans. During his long and eventful life, he was married three times, and was the father of twenty-one children: fourteen by his first wife and seven by his second wife. He had eighty-two grandchildren and fifty great-grandchildren. He died in Washington on November 27, 1871, at the age of ninety-one. The post office (and later the city) was originally named Holland's Grove on February 12, 1833 before being renamed in honor of the first U.S. president, George Washington, on September 13, 1837.

Chapters2013 tornado

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Washington, 1882–1929

Passages that mention Washington, cut from the printed page as they were published.

ground on Baker's farm. This was the first house built and used for a school house longer than one term. It was succeeded by the district school house, built in 1837 or 1838, on the site of the west school house in Washington, and was the only school house in the neighborhood up to that time. The f…
Early history of Washington, Ill. and vicinity1929 · page 12Read the page →
Read the text

ground on Baker's farm. This was the first house built and used for a school house longer than one term. It was succeeded by the district school house, built in 1837 or 1838, on the site of the west school house in Washington, and was the only school house in the neighborhood up to that time. The first religious society here was organized by Jesse Walker, a Methodist preacher, in 1828 or 1829. Their first meeting was held at William Holland's, whose family and the

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
William Holland laid out the town of Washington in 1834. On Nov. 28, 1869, the second Christian church was dedicated. This house burned Feb. 17, 1870, by defective flue.
Early history of Washington, Ill. and vicinity1929 · page 21Read the page →
Read the text

William Holland laid out the town of Washington in 1834. On Nov. 28, 1869, the second Christian church was dedicated. This house burned Feb. 17, 1870, by defective flue.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Washington Irving, in one of his letters, has given an amusing account of his troubles in Washington, in preparing to attend a levee given by President Madison.
The ladies of the White house1882Read the page →
Read the text

Washington Irving, in one of his letters, has given an amusing account of his troubles in Washington, in preparing to attend a levee given by President Madison.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
" Congress resolved, that a marble monument be erected by the United States, In the Capitol at the city of Washington, and that the family of George Washington be requested to permit his body to be deposited under It, and that the monument be so designed as to
The ladies of the White house1882 · page 69Read the page →
Read the text

" Congress resolved, that a marble monument be erected by the United States, In the Capitol at the city of Washington, and that the family of George Washington be requested to permit his body to be deposited under It, and that the monument be so designed as to

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.

By decade

Washington, decade by decade

Date unknown1 to date
Washington, Ill., December 7, 2013 -- Debris from the Nov. 17, 2013 tornado remain in the Georgetown Common apartments.…Date?Washington, Ill., December 7, 2013 -- Debris from the…
Today17 recent
William Holland plaque in Washington Illinois 20240505 00922024William Holland plaque in Washington Illinois 2024050…Washington Illinois square 20240505 01142024Washington Illinois square 20240505 0114Washington Illinois 20240505 01222024Washington Illinois 20240505 0122Washington Historical Society Washington Illinois 20240505 00952024Washington Historical Society Washington Illinois 202…Washington Historical Society Washington Illinois 20240505 00742024Washington Historical Society Washington Illinois 202…Cornerstone Washington Illinois 20240505 01272024Cornerstone Washington Illinois 20240505 0127Cornerstone Washington Illinois 20240505 01082024Cornerstone Washington Illinois 20240505 0108City of Washington Illinois plaque 20240505 00962024City of Washington Illinois plaque 20240505 0096Central Primary School Washington Illinois 20240505 00662024Central Primary School Washington Illinois 20240505 0…Bell in Washington Illinois 20240505 00902024Bell in Washington Illinois 20240505 0090Bell in Washington Illinois 20240505 00892024Bell in Washington Illinois 20240505 0089Image Denhart Bank Building2015Image Denhart Bank BuildingWashingtonEF42013WashingtonEF4Debris strewn around in a heavily damage neighborhood in2013Debris strewn around in a heavily damage neighborhood…17 November 2013 Washington tornado damage 2201317 November 2013 Washington tornado damage 217 Nov 2013 Washington tornado damage201317 Nov 2013 Washington tornado damageDement Zinser House2006Dement Zinser House
On the map

Washington on the map, 1928 to 1995

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

Washington on the 1928 USGS mapWashington on the 1932 USGS mapWashington on the 1970 USGS mapWashington on the 1995 USGS map1928Mackinaw 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 Washington.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Washington, Ill., December 7, 2013 -- Debris from the Nov. 17, 2013 tornado remain in the Georgetown Common apartments.…
Retake this viewWashington, Ill., December 7, 2013 -- Debris from the Nov. 17, 2013 tornado remain in the Georgetown Common apartments.…

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Washington’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

3 historic places in Washington

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

places listed
3
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
4
each building in a district counts
first listed
1998
Cemetery Road Bridge
Cemetery Road BridgeDement-Zinser HouseDenhart Bank Building
BuildingsStructures

Architectural styles listings

Stone double-arch Bridge1
Greek Revival1
Italianate1
Cemetery Road BridgeStone double-arch Bridge
Dement-Zinser HouseGreek Revival
Denhart Bank BuildingItalianate

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

People over time

Washington, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00012,00014,00016,000185019001950200016,071

Grew from 712 people in 1850 to 16,071 in 2020, more than tenfold.

18 censuses, 1850–2020.

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

Famous people

2 famous people were born in Washington

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

See all →
Claire E. Hutchin, Jr.U.S. Army general · b. 1916
T
Tim TullyAmerican neurobiologist · b. 1954
Places that used to be

Old corners and burying grounds

Washington’s post office has been open since 1837.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Beverly Manor
3cemeteries and burying grounds inside Washington
GlendaleWrennZion

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.

East PeoriaIts storyC

Questions about Washington’s history

What year was Washington founded?

In 1825, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Washington’s post office opened in 1837, and the census of 1850 counted 712 people here.

How does Washington rank for history?

Washington is more historic than 76% of U.S. towns, #217 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 Washington?

Three places: the Cemetery Road Bridge (listed 1998), the Dement-Zinser House (2002) and the Denhart Bank Building (2005).

How old are the homes in Washington?

12% of Washington’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.9 points), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 1978.

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 (18), the National Register of Historic Places (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, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) 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.