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–Not graded
History · Fairview

Fairview’s post office opened in 1869, and 25% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1888 on and the census since 1900.

1869first post office
0on the National Register
25%homes built before 1940
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: User:Xiphos · Public domain
Quick answers

How Fairview began, and where its name came from

When was Fairview founded?

1869

The Fairview post office opened in 1869, the earliest record of the town by name.

First census: 395 in 19002020 census: 240157 years

How did Fairview get its name?

Fairview was named for its scenic setting.

Founding year: the first Fairview post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓

What stands out about Fairview’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 Fairview are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18885 editions of the USGS map, 1888 to 1990. Watch Fairview change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Fairview’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Fairview’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
On the map

Fairview on the map, 1888 to 1990

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

Fairview on the 1888 USGS mapFairview on the 1894 USGS mapFairview on the 1960 USGS mapFairview on the 1985 USGS mapFairview on the 1990 USGS map1888Hiawatha 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 Fairview.

The story

How Fairview came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Fairview.

Read it all →

Fairview was founded on October 27, 1886, on land purchased in 1872 by W. F. Lambertson. It was named for its scenic setting.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Fairview, 1869 to 1964

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1869Post officeThe Fairview post office opens
  3. 1880Born hereWilliam P. Lambertson is born here
  4. 1888On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  5. 20th century
  6. 1921Born hereBernard W. Rogers is born here
  7. 1964Born hereDebbie Deere is born here
By decade

Fairview, decade by decade

Today2 recent
Curb Roller Building2016Curb Roller BuildingKSMap-doton-Fairview2004KSMap-doton-Fairview
Every building

Fairview, building by building, 1905

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a sheet.

Fairview fire insurance map, 1905, sheet 11905Sheet 1 of 1
Sheets
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

People over time

Fairview, census by census

01002003004001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 395

Between 240 and 395 people in every census since 1900.

13 censuses, 1900–2020.

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

Famous people

3 famous people were born in Fairview

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

See all →
Bernard W. RogersFormer Chief of Staff of the United States Army · b. 1921
William P. LambertsonAmerican politician · b. 1880
D
Debbie DeereAmerican politician · b. 1964

Questions about Fairview’s history

What year was Fairview founded?

The Fairview post office opened in 1869, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

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), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.