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History · Maynard

Maynard dates to 1887, and 55% of its homes were built before 1940

Its Register listing is the Maynard State Bank. Below: maps from 1965 on and the census since 1900.

1887founded
1on the National Register
55%homes built before 1940
1famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Maynard began, and where its name came from

When was Maynard founded?

1887

Maynard dates its founding to 1887 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1900.

First census: 245 in 19002020 census: 319139 years

How did Maynard get its name?

Maynard was named for the brother-in-law of a railroad official.

Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1889. Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓

What stands out about Maynard’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Maynard are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Maynard’s homes were built before 1938.Boom and bustPeaked at 580 in 1940; 319 people lived here in 2020.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Maynard’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Maynard’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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The story

How Maynard came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Maynard.

Read it all →

Maynard was platted in 1887. It was named for the brother-in-law of a railroad official. A post office has been in operation in Maynard since 1889.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

People over time

Maynard, census by census

01002003004005006001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 580

Peaked at 580 in 1940; 319 people lived here in 2020.

13 censuses, 1900–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Maynard’s Wikipedia page.

Timeline

Maynard, 1887 to 1965

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1887
    FoundingMaynard is established
  3. 1889Post officeThe Maynard post office opens
  4. 1898Born hereHal Erickson is born here
  5. 20th century
  6. 1940CensusPopulation peaks at 580
  7. 1965On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Maynard, decade by decade

Today4 recent
Maynard, Minnesota2012Maynard, MinnesotaMaynard, Minnesota2012Maynard, MinnesotaMaynard, Minnesota2012Maynard, MinnesotaMNMap-doton-Maynard2005MNMap-doton-Maynard
On the map

Maynard on the map, 1965 to 1986

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Maynard. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Maynard on the 1965 USGS mapMaynard on the 1986 USGS map1965Maynard sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Maynard.

On the National Register

1 historic place in Maynard

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
1
each building in a district counts
first listed
2018
Maynard State Bank
Maynard State Bank
Buildings
All 1 listings
Maynard State BankBuilding · listed 2018

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Questions about Maynard’s history

What year was Maynard founded?

In 1887, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Maynard’s post office opened in 1889, and the census of 1900 counted 245 people here.

What is on the National Register in Maynard?

One place: the Maynard State Bank (listed 2018).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

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 (4), 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) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.