Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1888 on and the census since 1930.
Bern dates its founding to 1854 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1930.
Bern was named by Swiss immigrants after Bern, the capital of Switzerland.
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 Bern’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Bern. 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 Bern.
Bern’s post office has been open since 1888. Two other post offices 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).
From Wikipedia’s history of Bern.
Bern got its start in the late 1880s, following construction of the railroad through that territory. It was named by Swiss immigrants after Bern, the capital of Switzerland.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Bern, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Railroad Company as a telegraph operator. For several years he was engaged in railroad work in various capacities in eastern cities until 1881, when he moved to \\'isconsii>, thence to Missouri, Nebraska, and Kansas, coming to Bern as agent for the Rock Island railroad in IQ05. He resigned his position with this road in 1908, and was appointed postmaster of Bern. He also established a printing office at the same time, and has a well edited and well patronized local news- ])aper, the Bern "Gazette," which has a circulation of over 400 subscribers
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Harry L. Guild. — The little city of. Bern, in Nemaha county, is a hustling and enterprising community, and as it is well known that a city is just as progressive and forward moving as its citizens, it is only natural to observe that Bern has many enterprising and self made men of affairs among whom is Harry L. Guild, cashier of the State Bank of Bern. Mr. Guild has shown his civic spirit by advocating and placing in effect public improvements during his term as mayor, and has also served his home town in various capacities, all of which have been those
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.
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyBetween 161 and 306 people in every census since 1930.
10 censuses, 1930–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Bern’s Wikipedia page.
In 1854, according to Wikidata. Bern’s post office opened in 1887, and the census of 1930 counted 306 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 (1), Wikipedia, 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.
2005