Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1948 on and the census since 1890.
Arcadia dates its founding to 1862 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1890.
Arcadia was named for the ancient region of Arcadia, in Greece.
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 Arcadia’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Arcadia.
Arcadia was founded in 1862. It was named for the ancient region of Arcadia, in Greece.
The first post office in Arcadia was established in June, 1867.
Arcadia was a station on the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Peaked at 1,175 in 1920; 254 people lived here in 2020.
14 censuses, 1890–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Arcadia’s Wikipedia page.
Passages that mention Arcadia, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The town of Arcadia in Lincoln township was laid out on or near Coxe's creek, in the year 1S60, on the military road which extended from Fort Scott to Fort Gibson in the Indian Territory, and was the second town laid out in the county. The town was then called Hathaway. As early as 1862 Hathaway boasted of a house, which consisted of two rooms, built of logs. Before and during the war this house was the theatre of many stirring scenes. It was a typical frontier town. Here was a stopping place for the weary traveler, and here many tarried a night to
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
.Mr. Gunn moved to Girard in [892, and for the following year read law in the office of James T. Bridgens, being admitted to the bar in 1893. He purchased the Arcadia Neti's in January, 1894. I le moved to Mississippi in 1896 and in February founded the Quitman Herald, and in November, [896, founded the Wayne County (Mississippi) Nezt's. In 18177 he returned to Crawford county, and in March assumed control of the Arcadia 'Finn's, and has managed that publication ever since.
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.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Born hereDeacon Jones is born here
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyEvery edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Arcadia. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Arcadia.
Arcadia’s post office has been open since 1867. Another post office, Coxe's Creek, opened and closed inside today’s town.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
In 1862, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Arcadia’s post office opened in 1866, and the census of 1890 counted 518 people here.
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). 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), 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.
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