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Romney, Indiana post officePhoto: Huw Williams (Huwmanbeing) · Public domain
–Not graded
History · Romney

Romney’s post office opened in 1842, and 31% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1961 on.

1842first post office
0on the National Register
31%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Huw Williams (Huwmanbeing) · Public domain
Quick answers

How Romney began

When was Romney founded?

1842

The Romney post office opened in 1842, the earliest record of the town by name.

2020 census: 304184 years
Founding year: the first Romney post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓

What stands out about Romney’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 Romney are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Deep rootsA post office since 1842: 184 years of Romney.Old housesHalf of Romney’s homes were built before 1955.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Romney’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Romney’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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The story

How Romney came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Romney.

Read it all →

Originally named Columbia, Romney received its present name from the community of Romney, West Virginia.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Romney, decade by decade

Today4 recent
Romney – November 2023 - Sarah Stierch2023Romney – November 2023 - Sarah StierchRomney - November 2023 - Sarah Stierch 012023Romney - November 2023 - Sarah Stierch 01Romney, Indiana post office2010Romney, Indiana post officeRomney Toy Shop2007Romney Toy Shop
On the map

Romney on the map, 1961 to 1984

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

Romney on the 1961 USGS mapRomney on the 1984 USGS map1961Romney 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 Romney.

Questions about Romney’s history

What year was Romney founded?

The Romney post office opened in 1842, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

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). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (4), 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.