Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Most of Riverwood was built recently: 0.0% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1968. Below: maps from 1905 on and the census since 1970.
Riverwood dates its founding to 1969 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1970.
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 Riverwood’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Riverwood. 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 Riverwood.
From Wikipedia’s history of Riverwood.
Riverwood incorporated on November 11, 1969. In 1998, Riverwood residents rejected a ballot initiative to merge into the city of Indian Hills along with three other small cities. Riverwood was the only city whose tax rate was projected to increase if the merger took effect. The other cities merged the following year with Riverwood off the ballot.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Between 435 and 515 people in every census since 1970.
6 censuses, 1970–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Riverwood’s Wikipedia page.
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1969, according to Wikidata. the census of 1970 counted 515 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 Wikipedia, 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.
