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History · Natoma

Natoma dates to 1888, and 42% of its homes were built before 1940

Its Register listing is the Natoma Presbyterian Church. Below: 1 old photo or paper from 1911 on.

1888founded
1on the National Register
42%homes built before 1940
1old photo or paper
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Natoma’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Natoma began

When was Natoma founded?

1888

Natoma dates its founding to 1888 (Wikidata). Its post office opened in 1878.

2020 census: 302138 years
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1878.The full story ↓

What stands out about Natoma’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 1 old photo is in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Natoma’s homes were built before 1948.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Natoma’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Natoma’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewMiner using rocker to mine for gold, Na…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story

How Natoma came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Natoma.

Read it all →

Natoma was established in 1888, named after an American Indian railroad employee by a railroad officer. The name means "new born". The first post office had opened under the name Tapley in December 1878, but the name was changed to Natoma in July 1890. Natoma was incorporated as a city in 1905.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Natoma, 1878 to 1911

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1878Post officeThe Tapley post office opens
  3. 1888
    FoundingNatoma is established
  4. 1890Post officeThe Tapley post office closes
  5. 1890Post officeThe Natoma post office opens
  6. 1899BuiltNatoma Presbyterian Church is built
  7. 20th century
  8. 1911In the archiveMiner using rocker to mine for gold, Natoma, California, October 1911
By decade

Natoma, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1910s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1910s1 item
Miner using rocker to mine for gold, Natoma, California, October 19111911Miner using rocker to mine for gold, Natoma, Californ…
1920s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today4 recent
Grain elevators in late afternoon2022Grain elevators in late afternoonCommercial area2022Commercial areaCollection of houses in2022Collection of houses inDowntown2014Downtown
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Miner using rocker to mine for gold, Natoma, California, October 1911
Retake this viewMiner using rocker to mine for gold, Natoma, California, October 1911, 1911

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Natoma’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

1 historic place in Natoma

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
1
each building in a district counts
first listed
2006
Natoma Presbyterian Church
Natoma Presbyterian Church, built 1899
Buildings
Natoma Presbyterian ChurchBuilt 1899

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Famous people

Famous people close to Natoma

Nobody well known was born in Natoma itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
B
Bruce GoffAmerican architect · b. 1904
Dale DodrillAmerican football player · b. 1926
B
Brent CollinsActor · b. 1941
Mal StevensAmerican tennis player · b. 1900
L
Len DuganAmerican gridiron football player · b. 1910
H
Harry McGeeAmerican football player · b. 1905
Places that used to be

Lost post offices

Natoma’s post office has been open since 1890. Another post office, Tapley, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Tapley
1878–1890
Natoma
1890–today
18701950today

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Questions about Natoma’s history

What year was Natoma founded?

In 1888, according to Wikidata. Natoma’s post office opened in 1878.

What is on the National Register in Natoma?

One place: the Natoma Presbyterian Church (listed 2006).

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 (5), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) 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.