Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 30% of U.S. towns · #172 of 273 in Minnesota. What drives it
Most of Cottage Grove was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1990. Its Register listings are the Cordenio Severance House, the John P. Furber House and the Grey Cloud Lime Kiln. Its Register listings are the Cordenio Severance House, the John P. Furber House and the Grey Cloud Lime Kiln. Below: maps from 1946 on and the census since 1970.
Cottage Grove dates its founding to 1843 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1970.
More historic than 30% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Cottage Grove is more historic than 30% of U.S. towns, #172 of 273 in Minnesota. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 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 Cottage Grove’s 0.7 sits near the middle of its state (50% of Minnesota towns have fewer) while its 3 listings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.
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 →
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 Cottage Grove’s history is told.
Cottage Grove’s post office has been open since 1849. Two other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
BuiltJohn P. Furber House is built
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
Born hereDon Gramenz is born here
Born hereSeann William Scott is born hereFrom Wikipedia’s history of Cottage Grove.
Cottage Grove was platted in 1871. The Precolumbian Schilling Archeological District, 1850 Grey Cloud Lime Kiln, 1871 John P. Furber House, and 1917 Cordenio Severance House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Cottage Grove, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Cottage Grove, mcluding all of township 27, range 21, and a small portion of township 26, range 21. The meandering of the Mississippi causes the south side to assume an irregular shape, and adds two small portions of township 26, range 21, to the town of Cottage Grove.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Cottage Grove, including all of township 27, range 21, and a small portion of township 26, range 21. The meandering of the Mississippi causes the south side to assume an irregular shape, and adds two small portions of town¬ ship 26, range 21, to the town of Cottage Grove.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
A meeting of the legal voters of Cottage Grove was called to convene at Lyceum Hall, in the village of Cottage Grove, October 20th, 1858, for the purpose, as had been publicly announced, to form a township by the election of a board of officers. The meeting was called to order by J. S.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
A meeting of the legal voters of Cottage Grove was called to convene at Lyceum Hall, in the village of Cottage Grove, October 20th, 1858, for the purpose, as had been publicly announced, to form a township by the election of a board of offi¬ cers. The meeting was called to order by J. S.
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.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Cottage Grove. 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 Cottage Grove.
The 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 13,419 people in 1970 to 38,839 in 2020.
6 censuses, 1970–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Cottage Grove’s Wikipedia page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1843, according to Wikidata. Cottage Grove’s post office opened in 1849, and the census of 1970 counted 13,419 people here.
Cottage Grove is more historic than 30% of U.S. towns, #172 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.
Three places: the Cordenio Severance House (listed 1976), the John P. Furber House (1982) and the Grey Cloud Lime Kiln (1978).
2% of Cottage Grove’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 8.1% for a Minnesota town; the median home was built in 1990.
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 (3), Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (3), 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 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.
2024
2018
2013
