Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1938 on and the census since 1900.
Buffalo dates its founding to 1867 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1900.
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 Buffalo’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Buffalo.
Buffalo was founded in 1867. It took its name from Buffalo Creek, which was named after the American bison, commonly known as the buffalo.
The first store in Buffalo opened in 1869 and the first hotel in 1870. Buffalo experienced growth in 1886 when the Missouri Pacific Railroad was built through it. Buffalo was incorporated as a city in 1898.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Peaked at 807 in 1910; 217 people lived here in 2020.
13 censuses, 1900–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Buffalo’s Wikipedia page.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Born hereBarbara Morgan is born here
Born hereMilburn G. Apt is born here
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Buffalo. 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 Buffalo.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
In 1867, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1900 counted 299 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 Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) 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.
