Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 65% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Its Register listing is the Brantly Sturdevant House. Below: maps from 1954 on and the census since 1890.
The Atkinson post office opened in 1878, the earliest record of the town by name.
Atkinson was named for Col. John Atkinson, an original owner of the town site.
More historic than 65% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Atkinson is more historic than 65% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
Nebraska towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Nebraska town has 16.3 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Atkinson’s 21.8 sits above most of its state (66% of Nebraska towns have fewer) while its 3 historic buildings outnumber those of 65% 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 Atkinson’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Atkinson.
The first settlement at Atkinson was made circa 1875. Atkinson was platted in 1880, when the railroad was extended to that point. It was named for Col. John Atkinson, an original owner of the town site.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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 Survey
Born hereRodney L. Johnson is born here
Born hereJack Hoffman is born here
2014Holt County MapMap
2013President Barack Obama greets Jack Hoffman, April 29 …
2013President Barack Obama greets Jack Hoffman, April 29 …
2013Jack Hoffman, April 29 2013 (3x4 cropped)
2010Atkinson, Nebraska from SE
2010Atkinson, Nebraska factory to SE
2010Atkinson, Nebraska downtown 4
2010Atkinson, Nebraska downtown 3
2010Atkinson, Nebraska downtown 2
2010Atkinson, Nebraska downtown 1
2005NEMap-doton-AtkinsonEvery edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Atkinson. 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 Atkinson.
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Between 595 and 1,521 people in every census since 1890.
14 censuses, 1890–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Atkinson’s Wikipedia page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
The Atkinson post office opened in 1878, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
Atkinson is more historic than 65% 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.
One place: the Brantly Sturdevant House (listed 1999).
22% of Atkinson’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.6 points), against a typical 18% for a Nebraska town; the median home was built in 1969.
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 (11), the National Register of Historic Places (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) 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.
