Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 28% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Below: maps from 1887 on and the census since 1880.
The Lincoln post office opened in 1866, the earliest record of the town by name.
More historic than 28% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Lincoln is more historic than 28% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
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 Lincoln’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (23% of Missouri towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: the first post office (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.
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Lincoln’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Lincoln. 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 Lincoln.
From Wikipedia’s history of Lincoln.
A post office called Lincoln was established in 1866. The city was named for Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth President of the United States.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Lincoln, cut from the printed page as they were published.
" Sec. 7. The said St. Louis & Keokuk Railroad Company are hereby authorized to commence their road at a suitable point on the North Missouri Railroad, thence by the mouth of Big Creek, in Lincoln County, thence within one-half mile of the courthouse in Troy, this county, thence on the present located route to the northern line of Lincoln County, State of Missouri."
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
As is common in all newly settled countries, the early settlers of Lincoln County labored under many disadvantages, being deprived of highways and bridges, saw and grist-mills, postoffices, blacksmith, and other mechanical shops, and the conveniences and luxuries that their posterity now enjoy; yet, with all, they had some luxuries. They had choice venison, wild turkeys and wild honey, in great abundance, and with their "hoe cake' to sop in the meat gravy, or swim in the honey, they had food fit for a
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.
Born hereGeorge Disch is born here
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
Born hereJerry Lumpe is born hereFire 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 sheet.
1921Sheet 1 of 1Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Between 102 and 1,190 people in every census since 1880.
14 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Lincoln’s Wikipedia page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
The Lincoln post office opened in 1866, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
Lincoln is more historic than 28% of U.S. towns. 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.
11% of Lincoln’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 1973.
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 (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, 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.
2004