Centerville dates to 1796, and 3 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 62% of U.S. towns · #513 of 993 in Ohio. What drives it
Most of Centerville was built recently: 1% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1977. 3 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 40 buildings. Below: maps from 1913 on and the census since 1880.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1815.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Centerville’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Centerville is more historic than 62% of U.S. towns, #513 of 993 in Ohio. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
B
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Centerville’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 Centerville’s 16.3 sits above most of its state (79% of Ohio towns have fewer) while its 41 historic buildings outnumber those of 84% 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 (±0.6 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1796.
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 →
What stands out about Centerville’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Following the signing of the Treaty of Greenville, which opened the Northwest Territory to settlement, Centerville was first surveyed in February 1796 by Aaron Nutt, Benjamin Archer, and Benjamin Robbins, three brothers-in-law who traveled from New Jersey through Pennsylvania and Kentucky. Their survey of land owned by John Cleves Symmes occurred two months prior to the establishment of Dayton. They each claimed land near the intersection of Main and Franklin Streets. Robbins and two of his brothers chose land in Centerville, with Robbins selecting 160 acres northwest of the town center due to the abundance of springs. Benjamin Robbins named the settlement after his hometown of Centreville, New Jersey, citing its location between two rivers and its proximity to several other communities.
Passages that mention Centerville, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of the city of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio1909 · page 823Read the page →
Read the text
The first plat of Centerville, filed in the records of Montgomery county was niade October 25, 1814, though it is said that plats were made and lots sold as early as 1805 or even 1803. The first store in Centerville was kept by Aaron Nutt, Sr., having been established in 181 1. John Archer is said to have opened the first tavern in Centerville. The most famous one, however, was that of Enos Doolittle. John Archer was appointed first postmaster March i, 1815. Enos Doolittle succeeded him in 1823. The town has been twice incorporated, once in 1830, and again in 1879. The first officers under the earlier incorporation were:
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county1882 · page 4Read the page →
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The settlement having been established in Washington Township, were soon others to recognize the fertility and advantages of the place, ai the course of a very few years, many families were located in the vicin: the present town of Centerville. Among these was the family of Dr. John Hole, who is believed to been a native of Virginia. In 1796, he was living in New Jersey, and < mined to penetrate the wilderness west of the Ohio. He first stopped al cinnati, where he remained one year, and removed to this township i
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of the city of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio1909 · page 149Read the page →
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March 24, 1836, an act was passed by the legislature "to authorize a loan of credit by the state of Ohio to railroad companies and to authorize subscriptions by the state to the capital stock of turnpike, canal and slack-water navigation companies." In 1833, the Dayton and Covington, Dayton, Centerville and Lebanon, and Dayton and Springfield turnpike comjxinies had been incorporated, but no work had yet been begun. Even in 181 7, the Cincinnati and Dayton Turnpike Company had been incorporated but nothing further was realized. Dayton was one of the first towns to avail itself of the benefits of the law proffering state
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county1882 · page 17Read the page →
Read the text
Centerville was once a place of some importance, but, like Woodburn and Singtown, began to grow old when the manufacturing interests were permitted 'ball into disuse. It has to-day a population of about 275, and supports one l goods store, three groceries, a meat-shop, two stone shops, three blacksmith sips, two wagon-makers, a hotel and a good post office. The health of its cit- As is looked after by W. H. Lamme and S. G. Stewart; its morals are attend- H’to by the Methodist Episcopal and Baptists, both Old and New School, uni the leadership of Bev. Deem and Elders Thompson and AVilson.
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
Centerville, 1796 to 1993
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
In 1796, according to Wikidata. Centerville’s post office opened in 1815, and the census of 1880 counted 274 people here.
How does Centerville rank for history?
Centerville is more historic than 62% of U.S. towns, #513 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.
What is on the National Register in Centerville?
Three places: the Erma Bombeck House (listed 2015), the Centerville Historic District (1974) and the Belville-Maxwell House (1979).
How old are the homes in Centerville?
1% of Centerville’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1977.
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 Wikidata (3), the National Register of Historic Places (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 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.
