The story
Read it all →How Cathay Township came to be
From Wikipedia’s history of Cathay Township.
Cathay got its start following construction of the railroad through the territory.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
–Not graded
History · Cathay Township
Cathay Township dates to 1893
Most of Cathay Township was built recently: 0.0% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1957. Below: maps from 1949 on and the census since 1910.
1893founded
0on the National Register
0.0%homes built before 1940
Quick answers
How Cathay Township began
When was Cathay Township founded?
1893
Cathay Township dates its founding to 1893 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1910.
First census: 225 in 19102020 census: 36133 years
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year.The full story ↓
What stands out about Cathay Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
★ What stands out · Help out
Start Cathay Township’s collection
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Cathay Township’s history is told.
Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.By decade
No old photos in the archives yet
Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Be the first to add onePhotograph a print flat, in daylight, no flash.
Add from your albumOn the map
Cathay Township on the map, 1949 to 1986
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Cathay Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1949Cathay sheet · 1:24,000U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Cathay Township.
People over time
Cathay Township, census by census
Between 20 and 235 people in every census since 1910.
12 censuses, 1910–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Cathay Township’s Wikipedia page.
Stories next door
History across the town line
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
Woodward TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townSouth Cottonwood TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townSykeston TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townGermantown TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town
Questions about Cathay Township’s history
What year was Cathay Township founded?
In 1893, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1910 counted 225 people here.
Memory lane
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
Start a conversation
Sources
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 Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) 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.