Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 37% of U.S. towns · #149 of 247 in Missouri. What drives it
Most of Byrnes Mill was built recently: 4% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1997. Below: maps from 1931 on and the census since 1990.
Byrnes Mill dates its founding to 1849 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1990.
More historic than 37% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Byrnes Mill is more historic than 37% of U.S. towns, #149 of 247 in Missouri. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
Missouri towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical Missouri town has 2.4 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Byrnes Mill’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (23% of Missouri 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 Byrnes Mill’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Byrnes Mill.
The settlement was founded by Patrick C. Byrnes, who immigrated from Ireland in 1849. His family established a mill on their 800-acre (320 ha) property. A descendant sold the mill and most of the property in 2008.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Byrnes Mill. 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 Byrnes Mill.
Grew from 1,578 people in 1990 to 3,173 in 2020.
4 censuses, 1990–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Byrnes Mill’s Wikipedia page.
Nobody well known was born in Byrnes Mill itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.
Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1849, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1990 counted 1,578 people here.
Byrnes Mill is more historic than 37% of U.S. towns, #149 of 247 in Missouri. 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.
4% of Byrnes Mill’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.8 points), against a typical 8.4% for a Missouri town; the median home was built in 1997.
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 (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) 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.
2004
