The Alaiedon Township post office opened in 1838, the earliest record of the town by name. Another post office, Alaiedon (1838), opened inside today’s town and later closed.
2020 census: 2,910188 years
How historic is Alaiedon Township?
A−
More historic than 80% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: the first Alaiedon Township post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Alaiedon Township’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Alaiedon Township is more historic than 80% of U.S. towns, #132 of 701 in Michigan. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Alaiedon Township’s overall grade.
Few Michigan towns list much on the Register (a typical Michigan town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Alaiedon Township’s 3.4 sits above most of its state (73% of Michigan towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.4 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 Alaiedon Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Alaiedon Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1909Mason 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 Alaiedon Township.
Timeline
Alaiedon Township, 1838 to 1909
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
The land that was to become the township was surveyed by a Musgrove Evans in 1827. James Phillips became the first person to settle in the township in December 1836 at a location known as Alaiedon Center. It was also known as German Settlement because most of its early residents were Germans. In 1837 the first settlement, Jefferson City, was platted and founded at what is today the Hagadorn and Lamb intersection along Mud Creek. The township was formally organized in 1842, and was named by Henry Schoolcraft, who came up with a pseudo-Native American name he claimed meant "hill land for excellent living." At the time of its organization, the township consisted of what is today Lansing, Meridian, Delhi and Alaiedon townships. The aforementioned townships would be spun off in 1842 to give the township the boundaries it has to this day.
The Alaiedon Township post office opened in 1838, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does Alaiedon Township rank for history?
Alaiedon Township is more historic than 80% of U.S. towns, #132 of 701 in Michigan. 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.
What is on the National Register in Alaiedon Township?
One place: the Somerville Barn (listed 2005).
How old are the homes in Alaiedon Township?
19% of Alaiedon Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.4 points), against a typical 12% for a Michigan town; the median home was built in 1971.
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 Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, 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.
