More historic than 16% of U.S. towns · #935 of 993 in Ohio. What drives it
Most of Carlisle was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1978. Below: maps from 1908 on and the census since 1880.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Carlisle is more historic than 16% of U.S. towns, #935 of 993 in Ohio. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Carlisle’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 Carlisle’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.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to C−. The pre-1940 share (±1.7 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: the first census (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 Carlisle’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Carlisle had its start in 1850 when the railroad was extended to that point and a train station was built. The village was named for "railroad man" George B. Carlisle, who in the mid-19th century "bought and platted a large section of the community." A post office was established at Carlisle in 1852 and remained in operation until 1961.
Carlisle's population increased from 4,872 in the 1990 census to 5,121 in the 2000 census; passing the threshold of 5,000, its designation was changed from village to city. As of the 2010 census, the population was 4,915; this population loss caused Carlisle to once again become a village. In the 2020 census, the population was 5,501; on October 20, 2021, Carlisle regained city status.
Passages that mention Carlisle, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The History of Warren County, Ohio1882 · page 510Read the page →
Read the text
Settlements were made about the neighborhood of Carlisle in the spring of 1804 and 1805, by x\rthur Vanderveer, of Freehold, N. J., who, in company with the Barkalows, had entered the tract of land on the Great Miami River, before spoken of. At the same time came Daniel Dubois and Dr. Benjamin Dubois, and, within the next ten years, several families from New Jersey came to this township and the southern part of Montgomery County, forming what is known to-day as the Jersey Settlement. The Lanes, Schencks, Denises, the Conovers, Fousts. Wykoffs and the Barkalows have all been well known in this
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The History of Warren County, Ohio1882 · page 517Read the page →
Read the text
During this year, the heirs of Thomas Shinn gave one acre of ground, just south of the church, bordering on the road from Franklin to Carlisle Station, on which has been erected a parsonage building of six rooms and kitchen, costing $1,300, and other improvements which will amount to $500.
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.
Timeline
Carlisle, 1852 to 1961
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
The Carlisle post office opened in 1880, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does Carlisle rank for history?
Carlisle is more historic than 16% of U.S. towns, #935 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.
How old are the homes in Carlisle?
2% of Carlisle’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.7 points), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1978.
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 (6), 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 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.
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