Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 26% of U.S. towns · #503 of 593 in Indiana. What drives it
Most of Barr Township was built recently: 10% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1996. Below: maps from 1944 on and the census since 1890.
More historic than 26% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Barr Township is more historic than 26% of U.S. towns, #503 of 593 in Indiana. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
Indiana towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Indiana town has 7.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Barr Township’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (22% of Indiana towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: our sources. 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 →
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 Barr Township’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Barr Township.
Barr Township was organized on 4 August 1819 from part of Washington Township; its namesake was pioneer settler Hugh Barr. Besides agriculture, which has flourished in its rich soils, the township has depended economically upon coal mining, as some of Indiana's highest quality coal mines are found in Barr Township.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Barr Township, cut from the printed page as they were published.
whose names occur in connection with some of the early land entries, came from Kentucky. Williams Prairie was named after William Williams, and was located nearly two miles west of Montgomery. Barr Township is the largest in the county, containing seventy-six sections, and a proportionately large number of early land entries; hence only those made previous to 1817 are here recorded. Isaac Burgin, on June 1, 1815, entered the northeast quarter of Section 23, Township 3, Range
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
house of Frederick Shoults. Ezekiel Shoults was appointed inspector; Thomas Evans and William Hays, constables. While the court house was being built, court was held in the house of Henry Cruse. Barr Township was formed in 1819, with nearly its present boundary. By November 10, 1819, the sale of town lots amounted to $5,741.95. Bogard Township was formed May 9.
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.
Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Barr Township. 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 Barr Township.
Between 2,668 and 5,431 people in every census since 1890.
14 censuses, 1890–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Barr Township’s Wikipedia page.
Nobody well known was born in Barr Township itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.
Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
Barr Township is more historic than 26% of U.S. towns, #503 of 593 in Indiana. 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.
10% of Barr Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.7 points), against a typical 14% for an Indiana town; the median home was built in 1996.
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).
From Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), 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.
