Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1925 on, and the census since 1870.
Easton dates its founding to 1854 (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 Easton’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Easton.
Easton was platted in 1854. The name Easton may be directional, for the community lies east of St. Joseph. A post office called Easton has been in operation since 1855.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Easton, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The same denomination had a church at Easton, shortly after the settlement of the town. The first camp-meeting was held in the year 1842, near the Valley Chapel school house, in Bloomington Township.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Easton, which is one of the three incorporated towns of the county, is located about twelve miles from St. Joseph on the Hannibal & St. Joseph railroad. The town was platted in 1854 by E. Don Mc- Crary, who owned four hundred acres of land and who had for some time been operating a general store. The present population is about 400, and there is a mill, several general stores, drug store, Catholic and Protestant churches, school and other conveniences.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
In 1848, Mr. E. Don McCrary purchased four hundred acres of land where now stands the town of Easton. In 1854, Mr. McCrary opened a store on his farm, and the same season laid off the town. The second store was established in 1855, by Kernes & Lumback. The latter disposed of his interest to Kernes, George Berry, Isaac Gibson and C.
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 Easton. 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 Easton.
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 Easton’s page.
Retake this view · +15Between 173 and 318 people in every census since 1870.
16 censuses, 1870–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Easton’s Wikipedia page.
In 1854, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Easton’s post office opened in 1855, and the census of 1870 counted 318 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), the Library of Congress (1), 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.
Date?
2025
2004