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History · Wells

Wells’ post office opened in 1828, and 15% of its homes were built before 1940

Its Register listing is the Wells Baptist Church. Below: maps from 1907 on and the census since 1820.

1828first post office
1on the National Register
15%homes built before 1940
2famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Dclemens1971 · CC BY 4.0
Quick answers

How Wells began

When was Wells founded?

1828

The Wells post office opened in 1828, the earliest record of the town by name. Another post office, Griffin (1880), opened inside today’s town and later closed.

First census: 331 in 18202020 census: 683198 years
Founding year: the first Wells post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓

What stands out about Wells’ 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 Wells are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Boom and bustPeaked at 1,298 in 1890; 683 people lived here in 2020.Lost villages1 post office opened and closed inside today’s Wells, and 5 old place names are still on the map.On the map since 19073 editions of the USGS map, 1907 to 1990. Watch Wells change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Wells’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Wells’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

Wells, census by census

02004006008001,0001,2001,4001850190019502000Peak: 1,298

Peaked at 1,298 in 1890; 683 people lived here in 2020.

21 censuses, 1820–2020.

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

Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners and places now gone

Wells’s post office has been open since 1828. Another post office, Griffin, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Wells
1828–today
Griffin
1880–1925
18201920today
Hamlets and corners on the map
BlackbridgeGilmantownGirards SugarbushGriffinPumpkin Hollow
Gone or out of use
Wells Quarrymine

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

The story

How Wells came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Wells.

Read it all →

The area was first settled around 1798. The town was formed in 1805 while still part of Montgomery County, and was set off from parts of the towns of Mayfield and Northampton. The town was subsequently reduced by the formation of other towns in Hamilton County, to include Hope (1818) and Long Lake (1837).

The town of Gilman was reportedly named for settler John Gilman. Elias P. Gilman petitioned the state and had surveys of Gilman made in 1838. Land was taken from Wells in 1841, but much of that region was returned to Wells when Gilman was dissolved in 1860. Wells has been increased subsequent to its initial formation by parts of Mayfield (1812, 1816), Northampton (1816), and Lake Pleasant (1858).

ChaptersWar of 1812Plane crash

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Wells, 1823 to 1925

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1823Born hereJoel Whitman is born here
  3. 1828Born hereLeonard Volk is born here
  4. 1828Post officeThe Wells post office opens
  5. 1880Post officeThe Griffin post office opens
  6. 1890CensusPopulation peaks at 1,298
  7. 20th century
  8. 1907On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  9. 1925Post officeThe Griffin post office closes
By decade

Wells, decade by decade

Today12 recent
Former Wells Baptist Church2025Former Wells Baptist ChurchTall trees in woods2015Tall trees in woodsSuspension bridge over river2015Suspension bridge over riverRiver, tree and bridge2015River, tree and bridgeMushrooms on tree beside River2015Mushrooms on tree beside RiverCamping tents with tiki torches2015Camping tents with tiki torchesCamping tents in the woods 22015Camping tents in the woods 2Camping Tents in the Woods2015Camping Tents in the WoodsBridge to Whitehouse2015Bridge to WhitehouseBridge to Whitehouse, Wells - 42015Bridge to Whitehouse, Wells - 4Bridge to Whitehouse, Wells - 32015Bridge to Whitehouse, Wells - 3Bridge to Whitehouse, Wells - 22015Bridge to Whitehouse, Wells - 2
On the map

Wells on the map, 1907 to 1990

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

Wells on the 1907 USGS mapWells on the 1954 USGS mapWells on the 1990 USGS map1907Lake Pleasant sheet · 1:62,500

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

On the National Register

1 historic place in Wells

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
1988
Wells Baptist Church
Wells Baptist Church
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Greek Revival1
All 1 listings
Wells Baptist ChurchBuilding · listed 1988

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

Famous people

2 famous people were born in Wells

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

See all →
Leonard VolkUnited States sculptor · b. 1828
J
Joel Whitman19th century American politician · b. 1823
Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Lake Pleasant6 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townSpeculator2 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townHopeIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townIndian Lake6 historic placesB+BensonIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townAriettaIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townStony Creek1 historic placenot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townJohnsburg2 historic placesA

Questions about Wells’ history

What year was Wells founded?

The Wells post office opened in 1828, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

What is on the National Register in Wells?

One place: the Wells Baptist Church (listed 1988).

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 (12), 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.