Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 75% of U.S. towns · #365 of 993 in Ohio. What drives it
Its Register listing is the Coldwater Catholic Church Complex. Below: maps from 1908 on and the census since 1880.
Coldwater dates its founding to 1838 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1880.
More historic than 75% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Coldwater is more historic than 75% of U.S. towns, #365 of 993 in Ohio. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
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 Coldwater’s 7.2 sits above most of its state (69% of Ohio towns have fewer) while its 3 historic buildings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.
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 →
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 Coldwater’s history is told.
Lost a third of its people between 1900 and 1920, then grew 4-fold.
15 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Coldwater’s Wikipedia page.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Born hereJames Grover McDonald is born here
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
Born hereKeith Wenning is born hereFrom Wikipedia’s history of Coldwater.
Coldwater was founded in 1838 and was originally called Buzzard's Glory, named after David Buzzard who operated a general store. Coldwater was platted in 1859. The village takes its name from nearby Coldwater Creek. A post office has been in operation at Coldwater since 1847.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Coldwater, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Ash Grove Church of the German Baptist Brethren, in the Southern District of Ohio, is located in section 15, Butler township, three miles north of Coldwater. The church was erected in 1893 at a cost of about $1,200. The main part of the church is 34 by 48 feet in dimensions, with an ell 12 by 30 feet. Benjamin Coate and J. C. Shively were the trustees at the time the church was built. The church has a membership of 28 and during the last quarter there was an average Sunday-school attendance of 41. The church is served by local ministers, Revs. F. P. Cordier and A. D. Coate. The
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
W. Hess; treasurer, J. B. Haslinger; and marshal, William Mackey. The village has a Town Hall. * The People’s Bank of Coldwater is an incorporated institution under the supervision of the State banking department. The bank, which has been running a number of years, moved into its new bank building in December, 1906. The following are the directors of this institution: John Birkmeyer, F.
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.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Coldwater. 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 Coldwater.
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Coldwater’s post office has been open since 1847.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
In 1838, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Coldwater’s post office opened in 1847, and the census of 1880 counted 1,001 people here.
Coldwater is more historic than 75% of U.S. towns, #365 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.
One place: the Coldwater Catholic Church Complex (listed 1979).
12% of Coldwater’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.6 points), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1974.
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).
From Wikimedia Commons (6), the National Register of Historic Places (1), 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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