The Overlea post office opened in 1908, the earliest record of the town by name. Another post office, Fullerton (1883), opened inside today’s town and later closed.
First census: 10,795 in 19602020 census: 12,832118 years
How historic is Overlea?
C−
More historic than 18% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: the first Overlea post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Overlea’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Overlea is more historic than 18% of U.S. towns, #184 of 261 in Maryland. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Overlea’s overall grade.
Few Maryland towns list much on the Register (a typical Maryland town has 0.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Overlea’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (20% of Maryland 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 (±3.1 points). The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date.
Founding year: the first post office (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 Overlea’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Overlea first started out as a 43-acre tract, owned by Margaret Fuller (Fullerton, Maryland, is named for her most likely). This tract started in 1858, just three years before the start of the American Civil War. She was a widow and brought her six children with her. Margaret Fuller originally hailed from Ohio. The 43-acre tract was referred to as "Sophie’s Garden Regulated". This original tract is located around the intersection of Belair Road and Taylor Avenue, along with the original house still standing there today. In 1885, the first Post office and general store were established. Later in 1886, Fullerton School was established as a one roomed log house, and was rebuilt as a frame house. Overlea began to truly develop in 1895 when the Kennard Land Company bought Lange's Farm (either Fuller's original tract, or a different tract, or possibly both). Kennard Land company mapped out th…
The Overlea post office opened in 1908, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does Overlea rank for history?
Overlea is more historic than 18% of U.S. towns, #184 of 261 in Maryland. 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 Overlea?
12% of Overlea’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.1 points), against a typical 3.3% for a Maryland town; the median home was built in 1960.
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, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), 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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