Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 47% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Below: maps from 1898 on and the census since 1900.
The Henderson post office opened in 1888, the earliest record of the town by name.
Henderson was named for David Henderson, a pioneer settler.
More historic than 47% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Henderson is more historic than 47% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull 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 Henderson’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (11% of Nebraska towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% 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 Henderson’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Henderson. 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 Henderson.
From Wikipedia’s history of Henderson.
Henderson was platted in 1887 when the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad was extended to that point. It was named for David Henderson, a pioneer settler. Henderson was incorporated in 1899.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Henderson, cut from the printed page as they were published.
it was through his influence' the road was built from Henderson east to McCool, and he secured the location of the village of McCool Junction (the road was first surveyed direct from Henderson to York). Mr. Smith was the first to place the town lots on the market.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The banks of Henderson have been mentioned at length in the notes on that town. The Bank of Henderson was organized in 1889 and for many years G. W. Friesen has been president, J. Friesen, Sr., and A. J. Friesen, vice presidents, the latter in 1920 still being vice president; P. L. Friesen, cashier, and P. P. Braun, assistant cashier.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
which is splendidly improved with fine buildings, and it? neat and attractive appearance indicates his intelligently directed activity. He has other business connections in Henderson and is a stockholder and one of the directors of the Farmers State Bank of Henderson, this prosperous concern deriving considerable advantage from his association with its affairs.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Henderson had a saloon for several years, but it was a source of trouble and the good people of the place, in tho spring of 1912 voted to get along without a saloon. In the' spring of 1913 the friends of the saloon in some way secured enough votes to have the saloon again, but there seemed to be a legal question about reestablishing the saloon that could not be overcome and the saloon has never been reopened.
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.
Grew from 208 people in 1900 to 1,080 in 2020, 5 times over.
13 censuses, 1900–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Henderson’s Wikipedia page.
Henderson’s post office has been open since 1888.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
The Henderson post office opened in 1888, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
Henderson is more historic than 47% 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.
34% of Henderson’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±10.9 points), against a typical 18% for a Nebraska town; the median home was built in 1963.
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 (6), 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), 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.
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