Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1965 on and the census since 1880.
The Dexter post office opened in 1874, the earliest record of the town by name.
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 Dexter’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Dexter.
Dexter was platted in 1874 and named for Dexter Parrit, an early settler. A post office has been in operation at Dexter since 1874. Dexter was incorporated in 1878.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Dexter, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Dexter village is situated in section 13, in the township of Dexter, near tlie geographical center of the county. Both village and lownship take their name from Dexter Parritt, who was an early settler of the township which Avas organized June 6, 1872.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.![The village of Dexter was incorporated by an act of the legislature, February 28, 1878. It includes sections 13 and 14. The first meeting for the election of village officers was held in Gaskill's Hall on the 12th of ]\Iarch. 1878. The first officers were: Aleck Stewart, president of the board; cou…](https://images.townratings.com/story/8554/bk-b84000f017afc5de-l.jpg)
The village of Dexter was incorporated by an act of the legislature, February 28, 1878. It includes sections 13 and 14. The first meeting for the election of village officers was held in Gaskill's Hall on the 12th of ]\Iarch. 1878. The first officers were: Aleck Stewart, president of the board; councilmen, L. D. Jackson, L. M. Gaskill, G. W. Buck; recorder, C. H. Pearce; treasurer, D. M. Vermilyea ; assessor, S. C. Pettit ; justices of the peace, J. L. Gaskill and H. Dudfield ; constable, I. Dennver.
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.
Born hereHoward R. Wood is born here
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyEvery edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Dexter. 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 Dexter.
Between 150 and 341 people in every census since 1880.
15 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Dexter’s Wikipedia page.
Dexter’s post office has been open since 1874.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
The Dexter post office opened in 1874, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
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, 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.
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