The story
Read it all →How Dexter City came to be
From Wikipedia’s history of Dexter City.
Dexter City was laid out in 1870, and named after Dexter W. Sullivan, an early settler.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
–Not graded
History · Dexter City
Dexter City dates to 1870, and 57% of its homes were built before 1940
Below: maps from 1903 on and the census since 1880.
1870founded
0on the National Register
57%homes built before 1940
1famous people
Quick answers
How Dexter City began
When was Dexter City founded?
1870
Dexter City dates its founding to 1870 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1880.
First census: 255 in 18802020 census: 81156 years
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1871.The full story ↓
What stands out about Dexter City’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
★ What stands out · Help out
Start Dexter City’s collection
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Dexter City’s history is told.
Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.On the map
Dexter City on the map, 1903 to 1994
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Dexter City. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1903Macksburg sheet · 1:62,500U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Dexter City.
From the old history books
What they wrote about Dexter City, 1887–1904
Passages that mention Dexter City, cut from the printed page as they were published.
history of noble county, ohio,1904 · page 117Read the page →
Read the text
After the completion of the railroad from Marietta to Caldwell the Methodists turned their attention to the founding of new churches in the villages that sprang up along the line of the railroad. In 1872 the church'at Dexter City was organized,-meetings being held for a time in the school house with Rev. Luther Timberlake as the pastor. Two years later the church building was erected, the first in Dexter City. In 1881 William Kirkbride offered to give the Methodists a lot in South Olive if they would build a church there. The same
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
history of noble county, ohio,1904 · page 220Read the page →
Read the text
educated at Adrian, Michigan, and at Starling Medical College, from which he graduated in March, 1894. He hegan the practice of medicine in Stockport, Morgan county, where he remained two years, was in Cambridge for six years, and moved to Dexter City in Sep tember 1902. He has been successful in establishing a fine practice and in connection with this, has the only drug store in Dexter City.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Noble County, Ohio1887 · page 539Read the page →
Read the text
The town site of Dexter City was laid off into lots August 5, 1870, by R. W. St. John, surveyor, for Hiram Flanders, proprietor. David McKee's first addition (hits 20 to 33), was surveyed by George Bell, February 11, 1871; his second addition (lots 33 to 41), March 12, 1875; John Smith-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Noble County, Ohio1887 · page 568Read the page →
Read the text
stores, and no business except John S. Parker's wagon shop. The building of the railroad removeil the business to Dexter City. The first store in Newburg was started about 1847, by Eber Brooks and John Brown, the former furnishing the capital and the latter having
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
Dexter City, 1870 to 1903
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
- 19th century
- 1870FoundingDexter City is established
- 1871Post officeThe Dexter City post office opens
- 1882Born hereJames O. Newton is born here
- 20th century
- 1903
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade
Dexter City, decade by decade
2017
2015
2004People over time
Dexter City, census by census
Between 81 and 278 people in every census since 1880.
15 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Dexter City’s Wikipedia page.
Questions about Dexter City’s history
What year was Dexter City founded?
In 1870, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Dexter City’s post office opened in 1871, and the census of 1880 counted 255 people here.
Memory lane
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
Start a conversation
Sources
Where this page comes from
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 Wikimedia Commons (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.