On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Bratenahl is more historic than 67% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Bratenahl’s overall grade.
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 Bratenahl’s 55.1 sits above most of its state (89% of Ohio towns have fewer) while its 8 historic buildings outnumber those of 74% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C+ to A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.9 points). Two sources give 1903.
Founding year: Wikipedia (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 →
What stands out about Bratenahl’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Bratenahl was incorporated in 1903, and named after its founder, Charles Bratenahl. It is one of the older residential suburbs of Cleveland along with Shaker Heights, Lakewood, and Cleveland Heights; of these, Bratenahl has the highest per capita wealth. Bratenahl is a small community of fewer than 1,200 population inhabiting approximately 700 households, some of which are stately estates, townhouses, and condominiums on the lakefront.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1903, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1910 counted 690 people here.
How does Bratenahl rank for history?
Bratenahl is more historic than 67% of U.S. towns. 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.
What is on the National Register in Bratenahl?
4 listings: 4 buildings, among them the Howard M. Hanna Jr. House (listed 1974, the first). 8 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Bratenahl?
33% of Bratenahl’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.9 points), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1962.
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 (9), Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (4), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) 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.
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