Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 92% of U.S. towns · #10 of 142 in Kentucky. What drives it
3 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 180 buildings. Below: maps from 1886 on and the census since 1800.
Flemingsburg dates its founding to 1797 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1800.
More historic than 92% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Flemingsburg is more historic than 92% of U.S. towns, #10 of 142 in Kentucky. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
Kentucky towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Kentucky town has 29.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Flemingsburg’s 610 sits above most of its state (92% of Kentucky towns have fewer) while its 181 historic buildings outnumber those of 93% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Flemingsburg’s history is told.
Lost a third of its people between 1850 and 1870, then grew 6-fold.
20 censuses, 1800–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Flemingsburg’s Wikipedia page.
From Wikipedia’s history of Flemingsburg.
Flemingsburg was founded in 1797 by George S. Stockton, a native Virginian, who named the town and county after his half-brother Colonel John Fleming. It has been the seat of Fleming County since its formation and was formally incorporated by the state assembly in 1812.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Born hereJohn G. Davis is born here
Born hereWillis A. Gorman is born here
Born hereJoseph J. Reynolds is born here
Born hereDavid H. Patton is born here
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyEvery edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Flemingsburg. 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 Flemingsburg.
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.
1886Sheet 1 of 2Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
In 1797, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Flemingsburg’s post office opened in 1818, and the census of 1800 counted 123 people here.
Flemingsburg is more historic than 92% of U.S. towns, #10 of 142 in Kentucky. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Three places: the First Presbyterian Church (listed 1977), the Thomas W. Fleming House (1979) and the Flemingsburg Historic District (1985).
21% of Flemingsburg’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.6 points), against a typical 5.9% for a Kentucky town; the median home was built in 1971.
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).
From Wikimedia Commons (4), Wikidata (1), 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), 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.
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