Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 46% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Below: old-book passages.
The Walton post office opened in 1856, the earliest record of the town by name.
Walton was named for its founder Gilbert W. Wall.
More historic than 46% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Walton is more historic than 46% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
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 Walton’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (22% of Indiana towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: the first post office (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 →
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 Walton’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Walton.
Walton had its start in the year 1852 by the building of the railroad through that territory. It was named for its founder Gilbert W. Wall. The Walton post office was established in 1856.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Walton, cut from the printed page as they were published.
In 1853 seven houses were reported as being used for school purposes, and in 1857 there were eight. Subsequently schoolhouses were erected in Walton, Onward, and other central points. An institution known as the Cass County Normal School was opened in Walton on the 9th of April, 1878, under the special charge of Harry G. Wilson, county superintendent, and a, corps of practical teachers.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
ward, containing five rooms and costilig $10,500. This is a commissioned high school and its curriculum is equal to the city schools. Five teachers are employed and forty high school students are being instructed in the higher branches, in addition to all the lower grades. The town of Walton in 1907 also erected a two-story brick high school building, with an expenditure of $8,000. The commodious grounds upon winch this building stands were donated to the town by Isaac Bumgardner shortly before his death. Five teachers are employed in the Walton school, and all
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Walbaum Walbaum was a station on the Richmond division of the Pan Handle Railroad, established about 1865, about four miles northwest of Walton in the southwest quarter of section 11. Digitized by Google
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
and the latter in 1872. The education of our subject was received chiefly in the common schools. By the time he was eighteen he had sufficient education to teach school. After two years spent teaching, in 1873, he entered the employ of George Campbell, of Walton, for whom he clerked two years. He then clerked for Adam Surface, of Walton, foitr years. In 1881 he entered into a partnership with Owen Engler, with whom he was engaged in the retail business iu Walton one year. In 1882 he removed to Onward Station, where he
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.
The Walton post office opened in 1856, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
Walton is more historic than 46% 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.
27% of Walton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.7 points), against a typical 14% for an Indiana town; the median home was built in 1955.
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).
From Wikimedia Commons (5), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System 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.
2019
2015
2012
2008
2006