Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 22% of U.S. towns · #898 of 993 in Ohio. What drives it
Most of American Township was built recently: 8% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1973. Below: maps from 1906 on and the census since 2000.
More historic than 22% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, American Township is more historic than 22% of U.S. towns, #898 of 993 in Ohio. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
Ohio towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical Ohio town has 2.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so American Township’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (23% of Ohio towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: our sources. 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 American Township’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of American Township. 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 American Township.
Another post office, Allentown, opened and closed inside today’s town.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of American Township yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
American Township is one of the twelve townships of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The 2020 census found 14,538 people in the township.
Its population held steady between the last two censuses: 14,381 in 2010, 14,538 in 2020.
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
Passages that mention American Township, cut from the printed page as they were published.
A glance at the map of Allen County shows that American Township occupies almost the exact geographical center, and history reveals the fact that in establishing its present boundary, it lost to Amanda and gained from Bath, and that again in May, 1857, American Township lost 1,040 acres — more than a full section of land — to Ottawa and the City of Lima. Allentown was the earliest settlement ; township organization was effected in 1833, and among the settlers were : Bowman, Brand, Richards, John, Ireland, Wright, Boyer, Crites, Ridenour, Knittle, Coch-
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.
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Between 14,381 and 15,516 people in every census since 2000.
3 censuses, 2000–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on American Township’s Wikipedia page.
Nobody well known was born in American Township itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
American Township is more historic than 22% of U.S. towns, #898 of 993 in Ohio. 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.
8% of American Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.7 points), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1973.
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 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.
