More historic than 15% of U.S. towns · #679 of 701 in Michigan. What drives it
Most of Allen Park was built recently: 7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1955. Below: 19 old photos and papers, maps from 1905 on, and the census since 1930.
How Allen Park began, and where its name came from
When was Allen Park founded?
1927
Allen Park dates its founding to 1927 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1930.
First census: 944 in 19302020 census: 28,63899 years
How did Allen Park get its name?
Allen Park was named after Lewis Allen, a well-to-do lawyer and lumberman whose 276½ acres of land (primarily in Ecorse Township) included holdings in what are now Allen Park and Melvindale.
More on the name
Hubert Champaign (for whom Champaign Park is named) and Edward Pepper were two other early residents of the area.
How historic is Allen Park?
D
More historic than 15% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1957. Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Allen Park’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Allen Park is more historic than 15% of U.S. towns, #679 of 701 in Michigan. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
D
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Allen Park’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 Allen Park’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (32% of Michigan 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 (±1.4 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1927.
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 Allen Park’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Allen Park was incorporated as a village in 1927, and as a city in 1957. It was named after Lewis Allen, a well-to-do lawyer and lumberman whose 276½ acres of land (primarily in Ecorse Township) included holdings in what are now Allen Park and Melvindale. Hubert Champaign (for whom Champaign Park is named) and Edward Pepper were two other early residents of the area.
In 1950 Allen Park did not include the part of the city directly west of Melvindale; that area was still part of Ecorse Township.
In 1927, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Allen Park’s post office opened in 1957, and the census of 1930 counted 944 people here.
How does Allen Park rank for history?
Allen Park is more historic than 15% of U.S. towns, #679 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.
How old are the homes in Allen Park?
7% of Allen Park’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.4 points), against a typical 12% for a Michigan town; the median home was built in 1955.
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 (13), the Library of Congress (17), 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) 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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