Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1915 on and old-book passages.
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 Cessna Township’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Cessna Township. 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 Cessna Township.
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Cessna Township yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Cessna Township is one of the fifteen townships of Hardin County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2020 census the population was 501.
Its population held steady between the last two censuses: 494 in 2010, 501 in 2020.
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
Passages that mention Cessna Township, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Cessna Township was organized in 1834, and is tlie Congressional Township 4 south, Range 10 east, and was named for Charles Cessna, one of the early settlers within her borders. The first election was held at an old schoolhouse on Section 11. The record is so badly mutilated we were only able to ascertain that Charles Cessna was one of the Trustees, mid Joseph Lemont, First Clerk. In 1835, we find Thomas McColdrick, Charles Cessna and Jonathan Mathews were elected Trustees; Joseph Wilson, Clerk; Daniel
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The schools of Cessna Township, during her earh’- settlement, were like those in most other new settlements in Ohio, few and far between ; taught in some kitchen or some rudely constructed log cabin, with the larger part of one end appropriated as a fire-place ; a log cut from one side and greased paper over the opening, forming the window; a puncheon floor, long slab ' benches, and a plank against the wall for a writing desk, completing the furniture. The first school of which we can get any account was taught by James Hamilton, about 1835, at his own house. John G. Lee taught a year later, in
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Cessna Township has six schoolhouses located as follows : No. 1, Salem School, near the Salem church, in the southeast corner of Section 2 ; No. 2. Pleasant Hill, southwest corner of Section 5 ; No. 3, Shingle School, on Shingle pike on west line of Section 25; No. 4, Ried’s School, northeast corner of Section 10 ; No. 5. Bateson, in northeast corner of Section 23, and No. 6, Beech Grove, midway on west line of Section 15, on south side of Kenton and Lima pike.
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.
Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
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). How TownRatings grades history →
From U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, 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.
