More historic than 16% of U.S. towns · #120 of 161 in Louisiana. What drives it
Most of Mamou was built recently: 10% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1975. Below: 4 old photos and papers, maps from 1919 on, and the census since 1920.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1909.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Mamou’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Mamou is more historic than 16% of U.S. towns, #120 of 161 in Louisiana. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Mamou’s overall grade.
Louisiana towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Louisiana town has 3.8 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Mamou’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (21% of Louisiana towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D− to C. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±8.1 points). Two sources give 1907.
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 →
What stands out about Mamou’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Many stories exist regarding the origin of the name "Mamou". One may have been the legendary Indian, Chief Mamou. It is certain that this vast prairie was known as "Mamou Prairie" as far back as the 18th century and that Anglo-Americans first called it "Mammouth Prairie" because of its immense size. When the French came, they called it "Mamou" for mammoth. "Mamou" is also a family name found in France.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Mamou. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1960Ville Platte 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 Mamou.
Every building
Mamou, building by building, 1919–1927
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.
Between 649 and 3,566 people in every census since 1920.
11 censuses, 1920–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Mamou’s Wikipedia page.
Places that used to be
Places now gone and burying grounds
Mamou’s post office has been open since 1909.
Gone or out of use
Mamou Lower Elementary Schoolschool
1cemetery inside Mamou
Saint Anns Old
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Questions about Mamou’s history
What year was Mamou founded?
In 1907, according to Wikidata. Mamou’s post office opened in 1909, and the census of 1920 counted 649 people here.
How does Mamou rank for history?
Mamou is more historic than 16% of U.S. towns, #120 of 161 in Louisiana. 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.
How old are the homes in Mamou?
10% of Mamou’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±8.1 points), against a typical 3.4% for a Louisiana town; the median home was built in 1975.
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 (6), 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.
1990s
1990s
2010
2004
