On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Dundee is more historic than 87% of U.S. towns, #86 of 701 in Michigan. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Dundee’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 Dundee’s 45.3 sits above most of its state (90% of Michigan towns have fewer) while its 26 historic buildings outnumber those of 81% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±6.2 points). Two sources give 1823.
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 Dundee’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
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.
Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
On the map
Dundee on the map, 1912 to 1972
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Dundee. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1912Dundee 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 Dundee.
The story so far
Dundee, in brief
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Dundee yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Dundee is a village in Monroe County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,323 at the 2020 census, up from 3,957 in 2010. The village is within Dundee Township and is served by Dundee Community Schools. Settled as early as 1823, Dundee was incorporated as a village in 1855. The downtown Dundee Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which also includes the Old Mill Museum and the Macon Reservation of the River Raisin National Battlefield Park. The village is nicknamed the "Hub of the Highways" due to the intersection of major historic thoroughfares at the village's center (specifically present-day M-50 and U.S. Route 23).
Dundee was established in 1823. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 3,957 to 5,323 (+35%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
From the old history books
What they wrote about Dundee in 1890
Passages that mention Dundee, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Monroe County, Michigan ..1890 · page 584Read the page →
Read the text
The township of Dundee is in the western part of Monroe county, and was formed from Summerfield and Raisinville at their re-organization in 1838. The tirst town meeting was held April 1, 1839, at the house of Samuel Barber, who was elected supervisor. The first land entry was made by William Eemington, on July 23, 1823, and included that part of the
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Dundee, 1823 to 1950
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1823, according to Wikidata. Dundee’s post office opened in 1834, and the census of 1880 counted 932 people here.
How does Dundee rank for history?
Dundee is more historic than 87% of U.S. towns, #86 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 Dundee?
17% of Dundee’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.2 points), against a typical 12% for a Michigan town; the median home was built in 2002.
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 (24), Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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