Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Most of Belleville was built recently: 5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1975. Below: maps from 1953 on.
Belleville dates its founding to 1829 (Wikipedia’s history). Its post office opened in 1831.
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 Belleville’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Belleville.
Belleville was laid out in 1829. The community experienced growth soon after by the building of the National Road through it, but declined in the 1850s when the new railroad missed it by more than a mile.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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 Belleville. 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 Belleville.
Nobody well known was born in Belleville itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
In 1829, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Belleville’s post office opened in 1831.
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 Wikipedia and U.S. Geological Survey historical maps. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
