Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1887 on and the census since 1960.
The Passaic post office opened in 1889, the earliest record of the town by name.
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 Passaic’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Passaic. 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 Passaic.
From Wikipedia’s history of Passaic.
Passaic was founded in 1891. The city was named after Passaic, New Jersey. A post office called Passaic was established in 1889, and remained in operation until 1983.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Passaic, cut from the printed page as they were published.
long period of time, he fenced his land and then engaged in farming like other settlers. He has two hundred and thirty-six acres of very fine land in Mound township and makes his home in the pretty little village of Passaic. Mr. Brown is an excellent farmer and keeps only the best grades of livestock, his special fancy being Shorthorn cattle and Duroc Jersey hogs.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
father's country place. Mr. Herman, Jr. carries an excellent and complete line of general merchandise and from the time of his entering the business to date has had a splendid trade. He hauls his merchandise from Passaic and his store is a convenient market for the produce from the surrounding country. He is located on Rural Route 2 from Butler, Missouri. The Culvers of Butler, Missouri conducted the first mercantile establishment at this place, which was named in honor of them. Mr.
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.
Between 26 and 84 people in every census since 1960.
7 censuses, 1960–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Passaic’s Wikipedia page.
Nobody well known was born in Passaic itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
Passaic had its own post office from 1889 to 1983.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
The Passaic post office opened in 1889, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
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.
