Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 96% of U.S. towns. What drives it
13 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 177 buildings.
Midway dates its founding to 1835 (Wikidata). Its post office opened in 1837.
More historic than 96% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Midway is more historic than 96% of U.S. towns. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its age 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 Midway’s 1,137 sits above most of its state (97% of Kentucky towns have fewer) while its 202 historic buildings outnumber those of 93% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: Wikidata (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 Midway’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Midway.
Before its European exploration, the area around Midway was inhabited by the Mound Builders. Two large and several smaller American Indian mounds have been identified on nearby farms.
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 hereRobert A. Alexander is born here
Born hereJouett Shouse is born here
BuiltMartyrs Monument in Midway is built
Born herePaul Noel is born hereWriters, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
In 1835, according to Wikidata. Midway’s post office opened in 1837.
Midway is more historic than 96% of U.S. towns. 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.
13 listings: 11 buildings, among them the Pinkerton Hall (listed 1974, the first), 1 historic district, the Midway Historic District, with 177 contributing buildings, and 1 object. 202 historic buildings in all.
30% of Midway’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±9.1 points), against a typical 5.9% for a Kentucky town; the median home was built in 1957.
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 (5), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (13), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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.
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