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History · Bidwell

Bidwell dates to 1881

Most of Bidwell was built recently: 9% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1986. Below: maps from 1906 on.

1881founded
0on the National Register
9%homes built before 1940
1famous people
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Quick answers

How Bidwell began

When was Bidwell founded?

1881

Bidwell dates its founding to 1881 (Wikipedia’s history). Its post office opened in 1834.

2020 census: 863145 years
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1834.The full story ↓

What stands out about Bidwell’s 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 Bidwell are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19063 editions of the USGS map, 1906 to 1975. Watch Bidwell change.
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Start Bidwell’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Bidwell’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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On the map

Bidwell on the map, 1906 to 1975

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

Bidwell on the 1906 USGS mapBidwell on the 1961 USGS mapBidwell on the 1975 USGS map1906Bidwell 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 Bidwell.

The story

How Bidwell came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Bidwell.

Read it all →

The community of Bidwell was founded in 1881 under the name Blaccock, after the arrival of the Crispus Attucks, Hocking Valley, and Toledo Railroad. Charles Heatly (1809–1888) owned the property where the new station was located. His home still stands nearby. Porter Station was built in Heatly as a means of transportation of passengers and freight, which led to its later expansion and the source of the name of the neighboring village of Porter. Circa 1900, Heatly changed its name to Bidwell in honor of John Bidwell, the Prohibition Party's presidential candidate in 1892.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Bidwell, 1881 to 1906

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1881
    FoundingBidwell is established
  3. 1883Born hereEd Donalds is born here
  4. 20th century
  5. 1906On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

No old photos in the archives yet

Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.

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Questions about Bidwell’s history

What year was Bidwell founded?

In 1881, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Bidwell’s post office opened in 1834.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

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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 Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people and U.S. Geological Survey historical maps. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.