Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1971 on and the census since 1870.
Clarence dates its founding to 1857 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1870.
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 Clarence’s history is told.
Peaked at 1,400 in 1920; 738 people lived here in 2020.
16 censuses, 1870–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Clarence’s Wikipedia page.
From Wikipedia’s history of Clarence.
Clarence was founded in 1857. According to tradition, the community has the name of Clarence Duff, the son of a pioneer citizen. A post office called Clarence has been in operation since 1859.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Clarence, cut from the printed page as they were published.
ercising important functions and fortified by all that is reliable in executive control and capitalistic reinforcement, is the Clarence Savings Bank, established L in the thriving little city of Clarence. The Clarence Savings Bank was organized in January, 1905, and was duly I incorporated under the laws of the state,
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
With the coming of dawn the county turned out in hot pursuit after the robber, who was apprehended near the town of Clarence. Deputy Sheriff Charles Ennis first discovered him, and a party from Clarence, headed by the marshal and J. D. Dale, captured him a mile east of town. The Clarence officials had been
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 Clarence. 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 Clarence.
In 1857, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Clarence’s post office opened in 1859, and the census of 1870 counted 444 people here.
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 Wikimedia Commons (2), 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 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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