Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1953 on and the census since 1880.
Gilliam dates its founding to 1878 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1880.
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 Gilliam’s history is told.
Peaked at 404 in 1920; 175 people lived here in 2020.
15 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Gilliam’s Wikipedia page.
From Wikipedia’s history of Gilliam.
Gilliam was platted in 1878. The community was named after a local farmer and landowner, W. T. Gilliam. And his brother Fayette Henry Gilliam. The Gilliam has been in operation since 1879.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Gilliam, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Saline City, in Howard county; and in 1868, moved to this county and commenced the coopering business. He owns one store house and one private residence in Cambridge, and is also closely identified with the business interests of the town of Gilliam. PEMBROKE S. EPPERSON, P. O., Cambridge. Was born in Lincoln county, Kentucky, February 15, 1817, and at the age of twentytwo moved to Missouri, and settled in this county, where he has lived ever since. He commenced farming on his arrival, and has devoted all his
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
As has been stated, the town of Cambridge was at one time a place of considerable importance, but the building of the Chicago & Alton railroad, or rather its location, away from the town, and the building of Slater and Gilliam have greatly damaged its prosperity. Houses have been moved to Slater, and business men have followed them. M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH.
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.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Gilliam. 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 Gilliam.
Nobody well known was born in Gilliam itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
In 1878, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Gilliam’s post office opened in 1879, and the census of 1880 counted 56 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 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.
