Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 24% of U.S. towns · #193 of 273 in Minnesota. What drives it
Most of Waite Park was built recently: 7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1992. Below: maps from 1950 on and the census since 1900.
Waite Park dates its founding to 1893 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1900.
Waite Park was named for Henry Chester Waite, a state legislator.
More historic than 24% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Waite Park is more historic than 24% of U.S. towns, #193 of 273 in Minnesota. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull 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 Waite Park’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (23% of Minnesota towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: Wikipedia (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 Waite Park’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Waite Park.
Waite Park was incorporated in 1893. It was named for Henry Chester Waite, a state legislator. A post office was established at Waite Park in 1897, and remained in operation until 1972.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Waite Park, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Davenport, who later became Mrs. Christ Wilkins, was the first teacher. The first schoolhouse stood near the present band stand in the village of Waite Park, which was then the farm of a man named Becker. However, it was not in reality a schoolhouse. It was built for a granary and served that purpose both before and after
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The village of Waite Park is located in section 17, St. Cloud township, between the main line and the Willmar branch of the Great Northern railway. The railroad shops constitute the principal industry, and employ not only ninety-six per cent of the adult male population of the village but also men from St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids
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 SurveyEvery edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Waite Park. 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 Waite Park.
Grew from 317 people in 1900 to 8,341 in 2020, more than tenfold.
13 censuses, 1900–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Waite Park’s Wikipedia page.
Waite Park had its own post office from 1897 to 1972.
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.
In 1893, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Waite Park’s post office opened in 1897, and the census of 1900 counted 317 people here.
Waite Park is more historic than 24% of U.S. towns, #193 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.
7% of Waite Park’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.7 points), against a typical 8.1% for a Minnesota town; the median home was built in 1992.
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), 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.
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