3 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 572 buildings. Below: 6 old photos and papers, maps from 1886 on, and the census since 1850.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1864.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Cambridge City’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Cambridge City is more historic than 98% of U.S. towns. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its age lowest.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Cambridge City’s overall grade.
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 Cambridge City’s 3,470 sits above most of its state (100% of Indiana towns have fewer) while its 575 historic buildings outnumber those of 98% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1836.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±6.2 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 Cambridge City’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Passages that mention Cambridge City, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Wayne County, Indiana1884 · page 585Read the page →
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the arduous duties of a Government Surveyor in the wild regions of the Northwest. In 1869 he returned to Cambridge City and entered upon a journalistic life, establishing the Cambridge City Tribune, which he ably conducted till 1872, when he disposed of his property and engaged with his father in breeding short-horn cattle. Southdown sheep, and several improved varieties of hogs. Under their management the Oakland herd achieved a wide reputation, and their public
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Wayne County, Indiana1884 · page 520Read the page →
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as tine agricultural surroundings as any town in Eastern Indiana. It has many handsome private residences, and some fine brick b;ocks, and a variety of business interests. In 1850 Cambridge City had 1,217 inhabitants; in 1860, 1,622, in 1870, 2,162, and in 1880, 2,370. Cambridge City is on the Whitewater Canal; Chicago St. Louis & Pittsburg Railroad the Rnshville Branch of the Jefferson vi lie road; the Cincinnati & Whitewater Valley, and the Fort Wayne, Cincinnati
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Wayne county, Indiana, from its first settlement to the present time1872 · page 136Read the page →
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Stackhouse, and others. It went into camp at Cambridge City until August 11, when it left for Indianapolis on the way to Kentucky. A large crowd bid it farewell at the Cambridge depot. A cavalry company was raised by John S. Lyle, Moses D. Leeson, and W. C. Jeffries. On the 14th of August, they reported to Col. Bickle, and shortly afterward went to join the Fifth Cavalry Regiment at Indianapolis. In a short time, more companies than were necessary for one regiment were
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Wayne county, Indiana, from its first settlement to the present time1872 · page 251Read the page →
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Cambridge City Car Company, for the building of railroad cars, was organized in 1868, and chartered under a general law of the state legislature, with a capital of §100,000. Its
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.
Timeline
Cambridge City, 1820 to 1960
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
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.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Cambridge City. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1960Cambridge City sheet · 1:24,000
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Cambridge City.
Every building
Cambridge City, building by building, 1886
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 sheet.
In 1836, according to Wikidata. Cambridge City’s post office opened in 1864, and the census of 1850 counted 1,217 people here.
How does Cambridge City rank for history?
Cambridge City is more historic than 98% of U.S. towns. 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 Cambridge City?
Three places: the Conklin-Montgomery House (listed 1975), the Lackey-Overbeck House (1976) and the Cambridge City Historic District (1991).
How old are the homes in Cambridge City?
43% of Cambridge City’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.2 points), against a typical 14% for an Indiana town; the median home was built in 1951.
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 (6), 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.
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