Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1908 on and the census since 1880.
The Cairo post office opened in 1860, 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 Cairo’s history is told.
Peaked at 315 in 1980; 205 people lived here in 2020.
14 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Cairo’s Wikipedia page.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Cairo. 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 Cairo.
From Wikipedia’s history of Cairo.
Cairo was originally called "Fairview", and under the latter name was founded in 1858. The village was named after Cairo, Egypt, perhaps via Cairo, Illinois. A post office called Cairo has been in operation since 1860.
The Mitchell Petroglyph Archeological Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Cairo, cut from the printed page as they were published.
became a merchant at Bowling Green, where he was well and favorably known. In the early 80's, Mr. Wigginton came to Moberly to accept a position with the Wabash railroad bridge and building department. Five years later he moved to Cairo and engaged again in farming until 1890, when the family returned to Moberly and Mr. Wigginton became a contractor, a business in which he was engaged until his death in 1908.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
In recalling pioneer time of Randolph County, Mr. Boney says that there are but five people now living in the town of Cairo who were inhabitants 30 years ago when he came. He has seen many changes in his day. After the city was incorporated, Mr. Boney began to take part in its administration and for 20 years has served either as councilman or mayor.
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 SurveyWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
The Cairo post office opened in 1860, 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 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.
