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History · Bromley

Bromley dates to 1784, and 52% of its homes were built before 1940

Its Register listings are the Pleasant Run Stone House I, the Pleasant Run Stone House II and the Prettyman Merry House. Below: maps from 1914 on and the census since 1900.

1784founded
3on the National Register
52%homes built before 1940
1famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Bromley began

When was Bromley founded?

1784

Bromley dates its founding to 1784 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1900.

First census: 543 in 19002020 census: 724242 years
Founding year: Wikidata.The full story ↓

What stands out about Bromley’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 Bromley are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Bromley’s homes were built before 1938.Boom and bustPeaked at 1,137 in 1990; 724 people lived here in 2020.On the map since 19144 editions of the USGS map, 1914 to 1981. Watch Bromley change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Bromley’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Bromley’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
The story

How Bromley came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Bromley.

Read it all →

The settlement of Bromley can be traced to 1784, when Prettyman Merry received a land grant from the United States government of 2,000 acres (8.1 km2). Soon thereafter, the Merry family began constructing a home on the property. This home still stands today on Shelby Street.

The Commonwealth of Kentucky officially approved the incorporation of the city of Bromley on May 23, 1890.

On December 14, 2023, the city became the site of a workplace disaster at Sanitation 1 near 2 Steve Tanner Street. Two male contractors were drowned, and third was hospitalized.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

People over time

Bromley, census by census

02004006008001,0001,2001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 1,137

Peaked at 1,137 in 1990; 724 people lived here in 2020.

13 censuses, 1900–2020.

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

Timeline

Bromley, 1784 to 1990

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

  1. 18th century
  2. 1784
    FoundingBromley is established
  3. 19th century
  4. 1840BuiltPleasant Run Stone House I is built
  5. 20th century
  6. 1914On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  7. 1921Born herePeter Hammond is born here
  8. 1990CensusPopulation peaks at 1,137
By decade

No old photos in the archives yet

Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.

Be the first to add onePhotograph a print flat, in daylight, no flash.
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On the map

Bromley on the map, 1914 to 1981

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

Bromley on the 1914 USGS mapBromley on the 1950 USGS mapBromley on the 1961 USGS mapBromley on the 1981 USGS map1914West Cincinnati sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Bromley.

On the National Register

3 historic places in Bromley

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

places listed
3
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
6
each building in a district counts
first listed
1987
Pleasant Run Stone House I
Pleasant Run Stone House I, built 1840Pleasant Run Stone House IIPrettyman Merry House
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Greek1
Italianate1
Greek Revival1
Federal1
Pleasant Run Stone House IGreek · Built 1840
Pleasant Run Stone House IIGreek Revival
All 3 listings
Prettyman Merry HouseBuilding · listed 1987

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

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Ludlow8 historic placesA+Villa Hills1 historic placeDCrescent SpringsIts storyC−

Questions about Bromley’s history

What year was Bromley founded?

In 1784, according to Wikidata. the census of 1900 counted 543 people here.

What is on the National Register in Bromley?

Three places: the Pleasant Run Stone House I (listed 1987), the Pleasant Run Stone House II (1987) and the Prettyman Merry House (1987).

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 Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (3), 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.