Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 73% of U.S. towns · #395 of 993 in Ohio. What drives it
Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1895 on, and the census since 1810.
Baltimore dates its founding to 1825 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1810.
More historic than 73% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Baltimore is more historic than 73% of U.S. towns, #395 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 Baltimore’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: Wikidata (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 Baltimore’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Baltimore. 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 Baltimore.
Baltimore’s post office has been open since 1829. Two other post offices 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).
From Wikipedia’s history of Baltimore.
Baltimore was originally called New Market, and under the latter name was laid out in 1824. A post office called Baltimore has been in operation since 1829.
Baltimore became a qualified Tree City USA as recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation in 2011.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Baltimore, cut from the printed page as they were published.
his age. He was, during the contest that secured the independence of America, Lieutenant of this county, and served with great re- • In a book entitled Mnemonika, or the Tablet of Memory, prepared by William Darby, and published by Edward J. Coalc, at Baltimore, 1839, under the head of "Eminent Persons," we find the following : "Buchanan, George, M. D., one of the founders and first Commissioners engaged in 1720, to settle and purchase the land of the city of Baltimore, died 1745— [an error, ho died 17S0.] And in the same book, under the head of "Baltimore," is the following: "Baltimore
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
of Ohio presents attractions, north and south, which place the two grand divisions, into which she is separated, upon distinct and independent bases. Thus it will be apparent that a road terminating at Parkersburg, while it would afford the shortest and most direct line of communication between the city of Baltimore, and St. Louis in the far West, developing a country of the greatest value to the city of Baltimore, and opening up a region beyond the limits of that State, of vast extent and fertility and looking to Baltimore as its market, the same attraction would not apply to the rich table lands within the influence of the lakes. It has been confidently asserted,
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
ought to come from all those interested in the completion of the work, since such a line would be for their mutual advantage. Therefore it was proposed that the state of Maryland, the city of Baltimore and individual subscribers should furnish the means to build the railroad from Harper's Ferry to Cumberland, and that Pittsburgh and Wheeling should supply the funds necessary for the construction of their respective branches from Cumberland. The total
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
be considered a failure as an efficient means of connecting the trade of the Atlantic with the west, Philip E. Thomas, in connection with myself, with the asi-istance of William Brown, of Liverpool, (now M. P.,) and Evan Thomas, of the city of Baltimore, who was at that time in England, obtained much information as to the operation of railroads in that country. It was then concluded to invite twenty-five of the most influential merchants and capitalists of the city of Baltimore, with some other citizens, to meet at my house on the 12th of February, 1827.
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 Survey
Born hereMike McCormack is born here
In the archiveAdvertisement for D. S. Cook & Co, MillersOne decade in the archive so far: the 1920s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
1895Sheet 2 of 2Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Baltimore’s page.
Retake this view · +15Grew from 140 people in 1810 to 2,981 in 2020, more than tenfold.
22 censuses, 1810–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Baltimore’s Wikipedia page.
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1825, according to Wikidata. Baltimore’s post office opened in 1827, and the census of 1810 counted 140 people here.
Baltimore is more historic than 73% of U.S. towns, #395 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.
38% of Baltimore’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±8.7 points), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1964.
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 (3), 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, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) 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.
1925
2015