Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 52% of U.S. towns · #105 of 273 in Minnesota. What drives it
Its Register listing is the Hannah C. and Peter E. Thompson House. Its Register listing is the Hannah C. and Peter E. Thompson House. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1894 on, and the census since 1890.
Barnesville dates its founding to 1874 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1890.
More historic than 52% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Barnesville is more historic than 52% of U.S. towns, #105 of 273 in Minnesota. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
Minnesota towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical Minnesota town has 2.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Barnesville’s 3.6 sits near the middle of its state (59% of Minnesota towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: Wikipedia (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 →
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Barnesville’s history is told.
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.
1894Sheet 1 of 3Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Barnesville. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Barnesville.
From Wikipedia’s history of Barnesville.
Barnesville was founded in 1874 by George S. Barnes and named for him. A post office called Barnesville has been in operation since 1877. Barnesville was incorporated as a city in 1889.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Born hereAlta Lillian King is born here
In the archiveDriver Boy, Barnesville, Mine. LOC nclc.01084
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyOne decade in the archive so far: the 1900s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
2024Barnesville, Minnesota-11-Old Creamery building
2024Barnesville, Minnesota-10-Eagle Cafe
2024Barnesville, Minnesota-09-City Hall showing side of o…
2024Barnesville, Minnesota-08-City Hall
2024Barnesville, Minnesota-07-Businesses on Front Street
2024Barnesville, Minnesota-06-Old City Jail
2024Barnesville, Minnesota-05a-Front Street at Main Avenue
2024Barnesville, Minnesota-05-Old City Hall
2024Barnesville, Minnesota-04-Front Street at Main Avenue
2024Barnesville, Minnesota-03-Assumption Catholic Church …
2024Barnesville, Minnesota-02-Assumption Catholic Church
2024Barnesville, Minnesota-01-Welcome sign
2017Squaw
2012Barnesville City Hall, Fire Station and Jail
2009Barnesville water tower
2006Barnesville, MinnesotaNo then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Barnesville’s page.
Retake this view · +15The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Grew from 1,063 people in 1890 to 2,759 in 2020.
14 censuses, 1890–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Barnesville’s Wikipedia page.
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1874, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Barnesville’s post office opened in 1877, and the census of 1890 counted 1,063 people here.
Barnesville is more historic than 52% of U.S. towns, #105 of 273 in Minnesota. 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.
One place: the Hannah C. and Peter E. Thompson House (listed 1996).
15% of Barnesville’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.0 points), against a typical 8.1% for a Minnesota town; the median home was built in 1977.
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
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 (18), the National Register of Historic Places (1), 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), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
1908