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Charlestown, IndianaPhoto: Chris Flook · CC BY-SA 4.0
A−History
History · Charlestown

Charlestown dates to 1808, and 4 of its places are on the National Register

More historic than 75% of U.S. towns · #258 of 593 in Indiana. What drives it

4 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 248 buildings. Most of Charlestown was built recently: 4% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1988. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1886 on, and the census since 1850.

1808founded
4on the National Register
4%homes built before 1940
5old photos & papers
6famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Charlestown’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Charlestown began

When was Charlestown founded?

1808

Charlestown dates its founding to 1808 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1850.

First census: 250 in 18502020 census: 7,775218 years

How historic is Charlestown?

A−

More historic than 75% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1812.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Charlestown’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Charlestown is more historic than 75% of U.S. towns, #258 of 593 in Indiana. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Charlestown’s overall grade.
Founding era1808, from Wikipedia: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 19403.9% of homes (±2.5) · typical IN town 14.4% · U.S. 8.4%CNational Register4 listings, 252 historic buildings, 304 per 10,000 residents · typical IN town 7.9 · U.S. 2.4A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 75%
NewerOlder
Indiana towns of 2,500+ (593)Ahead of 57%

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 Charlestown’s 304 sits above most of its state (92% of Indiana towns have fewer) while its 252 historic buildings outnumber those of 94% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikipedia alone; no second source gives 1808.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to A. The pre-1940 share (±2.5 points) is firm at this size.

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 Charlestown’s past

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

A historic districtThe Pleasant Ridge Historic District takes in 248 historic buildings.Shrank, then grewLost two-thirds of its people between 1870 and 1920, then grew 9-fold.On the map since 19056 editions of the USGS map, 1905 to 1981. Watch Charlestown change.Mapped building by building4 fire insurance maps, 1886 to 1911, drew every building in Charlestown.
★ What stands out · On the National Register

4 listings protect 252 historic buildings

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

places listed
4
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
252
each building in a district counts
first listed
1983
Benjamin Ferguson House
Benjamin Ferguson HouseWatson HouseThomas Downs HousePleasant Ridge Historic District
BuildingsDistricts

Architectural styles listings

Federal1
Free Classic1
Queen Anne1
Colonial Revival1
Indiana Federal1
Benjamin Ferguson HouseFederal
Watson HouseFree Classic
Thomas Downs HouseIndiana Federal
All 4 listings
Pleasant Ridge Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2018

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

People over time

Charlestown, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00018501900195020002,204 in 1870Low: 820

Lost two-thirds of its people between 1870 and 1920, then grew 9-fold.

17 censuses, 1850–2020.

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

On the map

Charlestown on the map, 1905 to 1981

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

Charlestown on the 1905 USGS mapCharlestown on the 1912 USGS mapCharlestown on the 1937 USGS mapCharlestown on the 1950 USGS mapCharlestown on the 1963 USGS mapCharlestown on the 1981 USGS map1905Prospect 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 Charlestown.

The story

How Charlestown came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Charlestown.

Read it all →

Charlestown was established in 1808, named after one of its surveyors, Charles Beggs, upon 300 acres (1.2 km2), of which 3 acres (12,000 m2) was designated for a town square. It was established one mile (1.6 km) northeast of Springville, and was responsible for Springville's demise.

Milling was important to the town, as the first mill was built in the area, on Fourteen Mile Creek, in 1804. This mill would be abandoned when John Work built a mill by use of a tunnel in 1814. Today, that mill is part of the Tunnel Mill Scout Reservation.

From 1811 to 1878 Charlestown was the county seat of Clark County, but as Jeffersonville had surpassed it economically, the county seat reverted to Jeffersonville in 1878.

ChaptersEarly history and Founding19th CenturyLynching20th & 21st Century

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Charlestown in 1882

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

A petition of '' John Lynde of Maiden who marryed with Mary, one of the daughters of Samuel Pierce, late of Charlestown deceased, of William Rand of Charlestown who m. with Persis, another of the dau. etc., of Samuel Counts, who m. with Hannah, another of the daus., and of Abigail, a fourth daughte…
Pierce genealogy1882 · page 21Read the page →
Read the text

A petition of '' John Lynde of Maiden who marryed with Mary, one of the daughters of Samuel Pierce, late of Charlestown deceased, of William Rand of Charlestown who m. with Persis, another of the dau. etc., of Samuel Counts, who m. with Hannah, another of the daus., and of Abigail, a fourth daughter — shewith that whereas the said Samuel Pierce dyed intestate and at his death left a very valuable estate both Real and Personall, of which Administration hath not yet been committed to any person according to Law, nor any Legal settlement made of the same, Wee therefore pray that

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

Charlestown, 1808 to 2020

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1808
    FoundingCharlestown is established
  3. 1812Post officeThe Charleston post office opens
  4. 1843Born hereBarclay Henley is born here
  5. 1853Born hereEugene Gano Hay is born here
  6. 1857Born hereMary Garrett Hay is born here
  7. 1873Born hereCharles F. Ogden is born here
  8. 20th century
  9. 1905On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  10. 1917In the archiveIndiana
  11. 21st century
  12. 2020CensusPopulation peaks at 7,775
By decade

Charlestown, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1910s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1910s4 items
Indiana1917IndianaIndiana1917IndianaIndiana1917IndianaIndiana1917Indiana
1920s–1990snothing yet
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.
Add from your album
Date unknown1 to date
Fort moundsDate?Fort mounds
Today7 recent
I-65 South Exit 19 - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch2023I-65 South Exit 19 - October 2023 - Sarah StierchIN3 South - Charlestown Indiana Sign2019IN3 South - Charlestown Indiana SignCharlestown, Indiana2016Charlestown, IndianaWatson House in2012Watson House inCharlestown IN Town Square2006Charlestown IN Town SquareCharlestown High School2006Charlestown High SchoolBottorffMcCulloch2006BottorffMcCulloch
Every building

Charlestown, building by building, 1886–1911

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.

Charlestown fire insurance map, 1886, sheet 11886Sheet 1 of 1
Edition
Sheets
BrickWoodStone

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

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.

Indiana
Retake this viewIndiana, 1917

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

Retake this view · +15
Famous people

6 famous people were born in Charlestown

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

See all →
Barclay HenleyAmerican politician · b. 1843
Mary Garrett HayAmerican suffragist and organizer · b. 1857
Charles F. OgdenAmerican politician · b. 1873
E
Eugene Gano HayAmerican politician and lawyer · b. 1853
Hetty Athon MorrisonIndiana writer · b. 1837
J
Jim SmithAmerican politician in Indiana
Help out

Start Charlestown’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 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 viewIndiana: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Jeffersonville6 historic placesA−Charlestown Township5 historic placesB+Utica TownshipIts storyC

Questions about Charlestown’s history

What year was Charlestown founded?

In 1808, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Charlestown’s post office opened in 1812, and the census of 1850 counted 250 people here.

How does Charlestown rank for history?

Charlestown is more historic than 75% of U.S. towns, #258 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.

What is on the National Register in Charlestown?

4 listings: 3 buildings, among them the Benjamin Ferguson House (listed 1983, the first), and 1 historic district, the Pleasant Ridge Historic District, with 248 contributing buildings. 252 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Charlestown?

4% of Charlestown’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.5 points), against a typical 14% for an Indiana town; the median home was built in 1988.

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 (12), Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (4), 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.