Bowdon dates to 1899, and 29% of its homes were built before 1940
How Bowdon began, and where its name came from
When was Bowdon founded?
Bowdon dates its founding to 1899 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). Its post office opened in 1899.
How did Bowdon get its name?
Bowdon was founded in 1899 by Richard Sykes, a landowner from England who named it after Bowdon, near Manchester where he lived.
Questions about Bowdon’s history
What year was Bowdon founded?
In 1899, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Bowdon’s post office opened in 1899.
Memory lane
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
Where this page comes from
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 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.