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History · Alton

Alton dates to 1870, and 81% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1953 on and the census since 1890.

1870founded
0on the National Register
81%homes built before 1940
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Alton began

When was Alton founded?

1870

Alton dates its founding to 1870 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1890.

First census: 338 in 18902020 census: 100156 years
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1871.The full story ↓

What stands out about Alton’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 Alton are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Alton’s homes were built before 1938.Boom and bustPeaked at 435 in 1940; 100 people lived here in 2020.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Alton’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story

How Alton came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Alton.

Read it all →

Alton was founded in 1870 as Bull City and was named in honor of Hiram C. Bull. It was renamed Alton in 1885, after the city of Alton, Illinois because female residents didn't like the former name.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

People over time

Alton, census by census

01002003004001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 435

Peaked at 435 in 1940; 100 people lived here in 2020.

14 censuses, 1890–2020.

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

Timeline

Alton, 1870 to 1953

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1870
    FoundingAlton is established
  3. 1871Post officeThe Bull's City post office opens
  4. 1885Post officeThe Bull's City post office closes
  5. 1885Post officeThe Alton post office opens
  6. 1888Born hereRussell Stover is born here
  7. 20th century
  8. 1904Born hereBruce Goff is born here
  9. 1910Born hereLen Dugan is born here
  10. 1940CensusPopulation peaks at 435
  11. 1953On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Alton, decade by decade

Today2 recent
Custer Lodge Closeup of upstairs2020Custer Lodge Closeup of upstairsCuster Lodge 166 Independent Order of Odd Fellows, built 18852020Custer Lodge 166 Independent Order of Odd Fellows, bu…
On the map

Alton on the map, 1953 to 1979

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

Alton on the 1953 USGS mapAlton on the 1979 USGS map1953Alton 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 Alton.

Famous people

3 famous people were born in Alton

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

See all →
B
Bruce GoffAmerican architect · b. 1904
L
Len DuganAmerican gridiron football player · b. 1910
R
Russell StoverAmerican businessman · b. 1888
Places that used to be

Lost post offices

Alton’s post office has been open since 1885. Another post office, Bull's City, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Bull's City
1871–1885
Alton
1885–today
18701950today

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Questions about Alton’s history

What year was Alton founded?

In 1870, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Alton’s post office opened in 1871, and the census of 1890 counted 338 people here.

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 (2), 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) 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.