Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 84% of U.S. towns · #29 of 247 in Missouri. What drives it
4 places in town are on the National Register. Below: 9 old photos and papers, maps from 1883 on, and the census since 1860.
Carrollton dates its founding to 1833 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1860.
More historic than 84% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Carrollton is more historic than 84% of U.S. towns, #29 of 247 in Missouri. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
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 Carrollton’s 12.7 sits above most of its state (75% of Missouri towns have fewer) while its 4 listings outnumber those of 68% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: Wikidata (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.
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
1883Sheet 1 of 2Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Peaked at 4,847 in 1970; 3,514 people lived here in 2020.
17 censuses, 1860–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Carrollton’s Wikipedia page.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Born hereAmanda Petronella Austin is born here
Born hereJewell Wallace is born here
BuiltU.S. Post Office is built
In the archiveFarm landscape along the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad tracks near Carrollton, M…
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyFrom Wikipedia’s history of Carrollton.
Carrollton was established in 1833. It obtained its post office in 1834. Carrollton's growth can be documented through Sanborn maps, several of which are available online.
The Carroll County Court House, Carroll County Sheriff's Quarters and Jail, United States Post Office, and Wilcoxson and Company Bank are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Carrollton, cut from the printed page as they were published.
gentlemen that a place of considerable importance might be built up. The depot grounds being located one mile froni the public square in Carrollton, it was supposed that the distance would draw much of the trade from Carrollton, and possibly stampede the whole business of the old town to South Carrollton. . Accordingly the town was laid out on the north part e i n e section 8. The survey being made and plat filed, a sale of lots took place, and almost fabulouos prices were paid for corner lots. For a few months it looked, at least to those engaged in speculating in town
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
August, 1837, Lewis Rees filed petition of citizens of Carrollton, praying for incorporation, and asking that the east half of the southeast quarter of section 32, township 53, range 23, be included in said incorporation.
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.
One decade in the archive so far: the 1940s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
1943Farm landscape along the Atchison, Topeka and Santa F…
1943Farm landscape along the Atchison, Topeka and Santa F…
1943Carrollton (vicinity), Missouri. A section gang at wo…
1943Untitled photo, possibly related to: Carrollton (vici…
1943Untitled photo, possibly related to: Carrollton (vici…
1943Untitled photo, possibly related to: Carrollton (vici…
1943Untitled photo, possibly related to: Carrollton (vici…
1943Carrollton (vicinity), Missouri. The Atchison, Topeka…
1943Untitled photo, possibly related to: Carrollton (vici…Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Carrollton. 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 Carrollton.
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Carrollton’s page.
Retake this view · +15The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Carrollton’s post office has been open since 1834.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.
In 1833, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Carrollton’s post office opened in 1834, and the census of 1860 counted 738 people here.
Carrollton is more historic than 84% of U.S. towns, #29 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 listings: 4 buildings, among them the U.S. Post Office (listed 1977, the first).
19% of Carrollton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.7 points), against a typical 8.4% for a Missouri town; the median home was built in 1962.
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), the Library of Congress (9), the National Register of Historic Places (4), 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), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) 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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