Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1967 on and the census since 1950.
Cedar Mills dates its founding to 1860 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1950.
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 Cedar Mills’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Cedar Mills.
Cedar Mills was laid out in 1860, and named for nearby Cedar Lake. A post office called Cedar Mills was established in 1870 and remained in operation until 1955.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Cedar Mills, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The first school was taught by Miss Sophia Pratt, at the residence of Daniel Cross, in 1860, at Cedar Mills. The first school-house was built in 1869, and E. B. Com stock was the first teacher there.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
reelected at the expiration of his term of office, and served, in all, four years, in a very satisfactory manner. About 1876, our subject disposed of his farm in Cedar Mills, but shortly after invested in 240 acres on section 30 of the same town, which he owned until 1885. In 1880, however, he took up a tree claim in Spink county, Dak., and bought
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.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
2010Luce Line Bike-Walk Trail, Cedar Mills, MN - panorami…
2010Luce Line Bike-Walk Trail, Cedar Mills, MN - panorami…
2010Luce Line Bike-Walk Trail, Cedar Mills, MN - panorami…
2010Luce Line Bike-Walk Trail, Cedar Mills, MN - panorami…
2010Luce Line Bike-Walk Trail, Cedar Mills, MN - panorami…
2010Luce Line Bike-Walk Trail, Cedar Mills to Hutchinson,…Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Cedar Mills. 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 Cedar Mills.
Between 45 and 99 people in every census since 1950.
8 censuses, 1950–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Cedar Mills’ Wikipedia page.
Cedar Mills had its own post office from 1870 to 1955.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
In 1860, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Cedar Mills’ post office opened in 1870, and the census of 1950 counted 99 people here.
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). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikipedia, 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 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.
