Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1894 on and the census since 1880.
Leon dates its founding to 1879 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1880.
Leon was named after Leon, Iowa, which in turn was named after the Jewish "Fighting Doctor" David Camden de Leon.
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 Leon’s history is told.
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 year, then a sheet.
1894Sheet 1 of 1Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
From Wikipedia’s history of Leon.
Leon was founded in 1879. It was named after Leon, Iowa, which in turn was named after the Jewish "Fighting Doctor" David Camden de Leon. The first building, built in 1879, was the blacksmith shop of H. Belton. Leon was incorporated as a city in 1882.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Leon, cut from the printed page as they were published.
forty foot stone arch bridge, one mile west of Latham ; the piers for the iron bridge across the Walnut at Augusta ; a thirty-six foot stone arch bridge, in Bruno township ; a thirty-six foot stone arch bridge, across Hickory creek, near Leon ; a thirty-six foot stone arch bridge in Chelsea township, near Chelsea; a thirty foot stone arch bridge at Brainard; and a thirty foot stone arch bridge, across Turkey creek, five miles south of El Dorado. Mr. Jamison has probably built about fifty county bridges in Butler county, and 200 township bridges.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
county, near Iowa City. He was one of the pioneers of that section and remained there until 1878, when he removed with his family to Kansas, settling in Little Walnut township, Butler county. He was one of the" of the incorporators of the town of Leon, a member of the townsite company, and served as mayor of the town for two or three terms. He was engaged in the mercantile business at Leon for a number of years, but retired from active business a few years before his death. He died at Leon in 1908, aged eighty-four years. His wife died
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 SurveyEvery edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Leon. 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 Leon.
Between 113 and 707 people in every census since 1880.
15 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Leon’s Wikipedia page.
Leon’s post office has been open since 1882. Another post office, Little Walnut, 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 1879, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Leon’s post office opened in 1871, and the census of 1880 counted 113 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, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) 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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