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History · Bloomington

Bloomington dates to 1872, and 47% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1896 on and the census since 1880.

1872founded
0on the National Register
47%homes built before 1940
1famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers

How Bloomington began

When was Bloomington founded?

1872

Bloomington dates its founding to 1872 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1880.

First census: 524 in 18802020 census: 110154 years
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1871.The full story ↓

What stands out about Bloomington’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Bloomington are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18963 editions of the USGS map, 1896 to 1986. Watch Bloomington change.Old housesHalf of Bloomington’s homes were built before 1947.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Bloomington’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Bloomington’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Bloomington on the map, 1896 to 1986

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Bloomington. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Bloomington on the 1896 USGS mapBloomington on the 1973 USGS mapBloomington on the 1986 USGS map1896Holdrege sheet · 1:125,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Bloomington.

The story

How Bloomington came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Bloomington.

Read it all →

Bloomington was established in 1872 when it was certain that the railroad would be extended to that point. It was likely named after the city of Bloomington, Illinois.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Bloomington, 1871 to 1896

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1871Post officeThe Brooklyn post office opens
  3. 1872
    FoundingBloomington is established
  4. 1873Post officeThe Brooklyn post office closes
  5. 1873Post officeThe Bloomington post office opens
  6. 1895Born hereKid Willson is born here
  7. 1896On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Bloomington, decade by decade

Today2 recent
Bloomington, NE2017Bloomington, NENEMap-doton-Bloomington2005NEMap-doton-Bloomington
People over time

Bloomington, census by census

010020030040050060018801900192019401960198020002020Peak: 554

Between 103 and 554 people in every census since 1880.

15 censuses, 1880–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Bloomington’s Wikipedia page.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices

Bloomington’s post office has been open since 1873. Another post office, Brooklyn, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Brooklyn
1871–1873
Bloomington
1873–today
18701950today

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Questions about Bloomington’s history

What year was Bloomington founded?

In 1872, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Bloomington’s post office opened in 1871, and the census of 1880 counted 524 people here.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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 Wikimedia Commons (2), 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.