Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of East Washington Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1891Hutchinson sheet · 1:125,000
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of East Washington Township.
The story
How East Washington Township came to be
From Wikipedia’s history of East Washington Township.
East Washington Township and West Washington Township were originally one township called Washington Township. Washington Township was created in 1874 from parts of Atlanta Township and Sterling Township. Washington Township would lose land to the newly formed Wilson Township and Rockville Township before being split into two.
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 and U.S. Geological Survey historical maps. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.