Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1935 on.
Harviell dates its founding to 1873 (Wikipedia’s history). Its post office opened in 1874.
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 Harviell’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Harviell.
Harviell was founded in 1873 and is named for Simeon Harviell, an early citizen. A post office called Harviell has been in operation since 1874.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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 Harviell. 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 Harviell.
Nobody well known was born in Harviell itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
In 1873, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Harviell’s post office opened in 1874.
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, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
