Nowthen’s post office opened in 1897, and 1 of its places is on the National Register
More historic than 35% of U.S. towns · #153 of 273 in Minnesota. What drives it
Most of Nowthen was built recently: 5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1995. Its Register listing is the Sparre Barn. Below: maps from 1916 on and the census since 1870.
The Nowthen post office opened in 1897, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 2008. Another post office, Burns (1876), opened inside today’s city and later closed.
First census: 340 in 18702020 census: 4,536129 years
How historic is Nowthen?
C
More historic than 35% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: the first Nowthen post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Wikidata: 2008.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Nowthen’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Nowthen is more historic than 35% of U.S. towns, #153 of 273 in Minnesota. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
C
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Nowthen’s overall grade.
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 Nowthen’s 2.2 sits near the middle of its state (55% of Minnesota towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to C+. The pre-1940 share (±2.9 points) is firm at this size. The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date; Wikidata gives 2008.
Founding year: the first post office (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 →
What stands out about Nowthen’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The city was formerly known as Burns Township until June 30, 2008, when it was incorporated as the city of Nowthen. The drive toward incorporation started at the township's annual meeting in March 2007, when residents decided to incorporate in order to prevent annexation by other nearby cities. The name originated from an unincorporated community named Nowthen near the intersection of County Roads 5 and 22 within the former township. "Nowthen" was coined by the town's first postmaster, James Hare, who had the habit of saying "Now, then" in conversation.
The Nowthen post office opened in 1897, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 2008.
How does Nowthen rank for history?
Nowthen is more historic than 35% of U.S. towns, #153 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.
What is on the National Register in Nowthen?
One place: the Sparre Barn (listed 1980).
How old are the homes in Nowthen?
5% of Nowthen’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.9 points), against a typical 8.1% for a Minnesota town; the median home was built in 1995.
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 Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, 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.
