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History · Elberfeld

Elberfeld dates to 1885, and 41% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1902 on and the census since 1910.

1885founded
0on the National Register
41%homes built before 1940
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Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0
Quick answers

How Elberfeld began

When was Elberfeld founded?

1885

Elberfeld dates its founding to 1885 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1910.

First census: 438 in 19102020 census: 644141 years
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1868.The full story ↓

What stands out about Elberfeld’s past

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

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Elberfeld are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19023 editions of the USGS map, 1902 to 1980. Watch Elberfeld change.Old housesHalf of Elberfeld’s homes were built before 1949.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Elberfeld’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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On the map

Elberfeld on the map, 1902 to 1980

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

Elberfeld on the 1902 USGS mapElberfeld on the 1961 USGS mapElberfeld on the 1980 USGS map1902Boonville 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 Elberfeld.

The story

How Elberfeld came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Elberfeld.

Read it all →

A post office has been in operation at Elberfeld since 1868. The town was originally built up chiefly by Germans, who named their community after Elberfeld, in Germany. Elberfeld was officially platted in 1885.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Elberfeld, 1868 to 1902

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1868Post officeThe Elserfeld post office opens
  3. 1885
    FoundingElberfeld is established
  4. 20th century
  5. 1902On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Elberfeld, decade by decade

Today8 recent
New Jerusalem United Methodist Church (1899)c. 2018New Jerusalem United Methodist Church (1899)Elberfeld-water-tower-in2018Elberfeld-water-tower-inElberfeld-post-office-in2018Elberfeld-post-office-inElberfeld-old-mill-in2018Elberfeld-old-mill-inElberfeld-Town-Hall-in2018Elberfeld-Town-Hall-inElberfeld-RR-tracks-in2018Elberfeld-RR-tracks-inElberfeld-Fire-Department-in2018Elberfeld-Fire-Department-in2018-11-05 Barnett Chapel and Cemeteryc. 20182018-11-05 Barnett Chapel and Cemetery
People over time

Elberfeld, census by census

0200400600800192019401960198020002020Peak: 834

Between 438 and 834 people in every census since 1910.

12 censuses, 1910–2020.

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

Famous people

Famous people close to Elberfeld

Nobody well known was born in Elberfeld itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Dylan MinnetteAmerican actor and musician · b. 1996
Louise DresserAmerican actress · b. 1878
Avery BrooksAmerican actor and director · b. 1948
Lilly KingAmerican swimmer · b. 1997
Marilyn MillerBroadway musical star · b. 1898
Ron GlassAmerican actor · b. 1945

Questions about Elberfeld’s history

What year was Elberfeld founded?

In 1885, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Elberfeld’s post office opened in 1868, and the census of 1910 counted 438 people here.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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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). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (8), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.