Washington Township’s post office opened in 1827, and 2 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 77% of U.S. towns · #147 of 701 in Michigan. What drives it
Most of Washington Township was built recently: 6% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1995. Below: maps from 1936 on and old-book passages.
The Washington Township post office opened in 1827, the earliest record of the town by name. Another post office, Mount Vernon (1832), opened inside today’s town and later closed.
2020 census: 28,165199 years
How historic is Washington Township?
A−
More historic than 77% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: the first Washington Township post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Washington Township’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Washington Township is more historic than 77% of U.S. towns, #147 of 701 in Michigan. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Washington 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 Washington Township’s 35.4 sits above most of its state (89% of Michigan towns have fewer) while its 101 historic buildings outnumber those of 89% 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 (±2.4 points) is firm at this size. 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 Washington Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Washington Township was organized in 1827. It is home to the historic Octagon House, built by Loren Andrus from 1858 to 1860.
Westview Orchards was founded in what is now Washington Township in 1813. The Mount Vernon Cemetery, located at the southeast corner of Mt. Vernon Road and 28 Mile Road, is evidence of a former settlement, named for George Washington's estate. The village of Mount Vernon once had a post office with William Austin Burt as its first postmaster in 1832.
Passages that mention Washington Township, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Macomb County, Michigan, containing ... biographical sketches, portraits of prominent men and early settlers1882Read the page →
Read the text
Aaron Stone died in Washington Township November 28, 1872, aged eighty-two years. He settled in Washington Township in 1820, and dwelt there until his decease. Isaac Moniore died April 28, 1871, in the sixty-eighth year of his age, at his residence in the village of Disco.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Macomb County, Michigan, containing ... biographical sketches, portraits of prominent men and early settlers1882Read the page →
Read the text
Mrs. Anna Wilcox died Jiily 7, 1876, iu her eighty-second year. She came to Michigan in 1831, and settled in Washington Township. Duncan Gass, aged seventy-eight years, died August 1, 1876. at his home iu Ray Township. He was one of the early settlers of that township.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Macomb County, Michigan, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources...churches, schools and societies1882 · page 484Read the page →
Read the text
Aaron Stone died in Washington Township November 28, 1872, aged eighty-two years. He settled in Washington Township in 1820, and dwelt there until his decease. Isaac Monfore died April 28, 1871, in the sixty-eighth year of his age, at his residence in the village of Disco.
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
Washington Township, 1827 to 1992
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Washington Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1936Romeo sheet · 1:31,680
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Washington Township.
Famous people
3 famous people were born in Washington Township
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
The Washington Township post office opened in 1827, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does Washington Township rank for history?
Washington Township is more historic than 77% of U.S. towns, #147 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 Washington Township?
Two places: the Romeo Historic District (listed 1970) and the Washington Octagon House (1971).
How old are the homes in Washington Township?
6% of Washington Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.4 points), against a typical 12% for a Michigan town; the median home was built in 1995.
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 the National Register of Historic Places (2), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System 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.
