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History · Centerville

Centerville dates to 1808, and 21% of its homes were built before 1940

Its Register listing is the Centerville Town Hall. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1986 on, and the census since 1820.

1808founded
1on the National Register
21%homes built before 1940
1old photo or paper
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Centerville began

When was Centerville founded?

1808

Centerville dates its founding to 1808 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1820.

First census: 421 in 18202020 census: 929218 years
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1820.The full story ↓

What stands out about Centerville’s past

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

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 1 old photo is in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Boom and bustPeaked at 1,513 in 1840; 822 people lived here in 2010.Deep rootsEstablished in 1808: 218 years of Centerville.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Centerville’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Centerville’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
People over time

Centerville, census by census

02004006008001,0001,2001,4001,6001850190019502000Peak: 1,513

Peaked at 1,513 in 1840; 822 people lived here in 2010.

20 censuses, 1820–2010.

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

Timeline

Centerville, 1808 to 1986

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1808
    FoundingCenterville is established
  3. 1820Post officeThe Centreville post office opens
  4. 1824Born hereOrlando Williams Wight is born here
  5. 1835Born hereEllen Palmer Allerton is born here
  6. 1840CensusPopulation peaks at 1,513
  7. 1861Born hereEzra Kendall is born here
  8. 1875In the archiveCounty atlas of Sullivan, New York
  9. 1892Post officeThe Centreville post office closes
  10. 1892Post officeThe Centerville post office opens
  11. 20th century
  12. 1986On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
The story

How Centerville came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Centerville.

Read it all →

Centerville was first settled in April 1808 by Joseph Maxson. Minard describes this first settler in his History of Centerville:

"He was only 18, and came from Otsego Co. Two cents and a few articles of provisions and clothing constituted his wealth. At Pike he took from his feet a pair of new shoes, bartered them for an axe, and pushed on into the wilderness, and in the center of the township near a small stream erected the rudest kind of a hut. For a bed he peeled basswood bark, used some pieces as a floor and others for covering. Not long after he came snow fell six inches deep. He persevered in his labors and passed eight months alone."²

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Centerville, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1870s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1870s1 item
County atlas of Sullivan, New York1875County atlas of Sullivan, New YorkMap
Today16 recent
Rural scenery in the Town of Centerville, New York, October 20152015Rural scenery in the Town of Centerville, New York, O…North Hill Road by evening light, Centerville, New York, October 20152015North Hill Road by evening light, Centerville, New Yo…CentervilleNY2012CentervilleNYCenterville Town Hall 2012-09-24 18-08-312012Centerville Town Hall 2012-09-24 18-08-31FLT M06 2.8 mi - Stile of 2x8s and 2x4s2010FLT M06 2.8 mi - Stile of 2x8s and 2x4sFLT M06 2.7 mi - Stile of 2x4s2010FLT M06 2.7 mi - Stile of 2x4sFLT M06 2.3, 0.2 on blue bypass - Piped spring at Sixtown Creek bivouac2010FLT M06 2.3, 0.2 on blue bypass - Piped spring at Six…FLT M06 2.3, 0.2 on blue bypass - Bivouac on Sixtown Creek with picnic table, fire ring, piped spring, and register2010FLT M06 2.3, 0.2 on blue bypass - Bivouac on Sixtown …FLT M06 2.3 mi - Sign at junction with blue bypass trail2010FLT M06 2.3 mi - Sign at junction with blue bypass tr…FLT M06 2.1 mi - Sign at Ballard Rd2010FLT M06 2.1 mi - Sign at Ballard RdFLT M06 2.0 mi - Register just west of Ballard Rd2010FLT M06 2.0 mi - Register just west of Ballard RdFLT M05 15.41 - Register near Rushford Rd2010FLT M05 15.41 - Register near Rushford RdFLT M05 15.4 mi - Sign at Rushford Rd2010FLT M05 15.4 mi - Sign at Rushford RdCenterville, New York2006Centerville, New YorkCenterville, New York2006Centerville, New YorkCenterville, New York2006Centerville, New York
On the map

Centerville on the map in 1986

The U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Centerville.

Centerville on the 1986 USGS map1986Olean sheet · 1:100,000

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

On the National Register

1 historic place in Centerville

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
1
each building in a district counts
first listed
2009
Centerville Town Hall
Centerville Town Hall
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Greek Revival1
Centerville Town HallGreek Revival

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Famous people

3 famous people were born in Centerville

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Ellen Palmer AllertonAmerican poet · b. 1835
Ezra KendallAmerican actor, comedian and writer · b. 1861
Orlando Williams WightAmerican physician · b. 1824
Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Centerville’s post office has been open since 1892. Another post office, Centreville, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Centreville
1820–1892
Centerville
1892–today
18201920today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Higgins
Gone or out of use
Plane Haven Airportairport
5cemeteries and burying grounds inside Centerville
BatesCadwell CornersCentervilleCounty LineRogers

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

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

EagleIts storyBHumeIts storyB+Freedom1 historic placeB+RushfordIts storyB−

Questions about Centerville’s history

What year was Centerville founded?

In 1808, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Centerville’s post office opened in 1820, and the census of 1820 counted 421 people here.

What is on the National Register in Centerville?

One place: the Centerville Town Hall (listed 2009).

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 (17), 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.