Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1950 on and the census since 1890.
Napoleon dates its founding to 1836 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1890.
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 Napoleon’s history is told.
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 SurveyFrom Wikipedia’s history of Napoleon.
Napoleon was laid out in 1836, and most likely was named after Napoleon Bonaparte. A post office has been in operation at Napoleon since 1858.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Napoleon, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Napoleon is situated in the extreme part of Lafayette county, twelve miles west from Lexington, on the Missouri river, and on the line of the old narrow gauge, but now the standard gauge Missouri Pacific railroad.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Charles and Warren counties located near Wellington, this county. At first the settlers attended the church at Napoleon, but for those living east of Wellington and others, that point was not convenient, so preaching was had at the Harris school house by Rev. Dreevel. Finally, on June 10, 1882, a church was formed with seven families of the neighborhood and preaching was had by the Lexington minister twice each month. Soon the Germans wanted a church in Wellington and purchased some property for two thousand two hundred and fifty dollars, and in March, 1884, Rev. Dreevel
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
In the year 1868 John F. Roberts established a mill at Napoleon, twelve miles west of Lexington on the Narrow Guage railroad, It is a frame building and has been operated and owned by Mr.' Roberts ever since its establishment.
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.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Napoleon. 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 Napoleon.
Between 106 and 271 people in every census since 1890.
14 censuses, 1890–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Napoleon’s Wikipedia page.
In 1836, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Napoleon’s post office opened in 1869, and the census of 1890 counted 106 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 (10), 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.
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