Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 37% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Below: maps from 1906 on and the census since 1870.
Elida dates its founding to 1852 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1870.
More historic than 37% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Elida is more historic than 37% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
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 Elida’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.
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 →
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 Elida’s history is told.
Lost a third of its people between 1870 and 1880, then grew 6-fold.
16 censuses, 1870–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Elida’s Wikipedia page.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Elida. 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 Elida.
From Wikipedia’s history of Elida.
Elida was laid out in 1852. A post office called Elida was established in 1854, and remained in operation until 1959. The village was incorporated in 1878.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Elida, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Elida was platted in 1852 by Griffith John on the part of his farm used as a sugar camp. Daniel Myers is said to have erected the first building in Elida after it was laid out, except the Lutheran Church. The contract was let for $90, to be completed from . the stump at that. The siding is of the finest black walnut and is well preserved. The building was on
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The village of Elida was laid out and platted by Griffith John, its founder, in 1852. It is situated on the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railway and the Fort Wayne, Van Wert & Lima traction line. It is also situated in the heart of a prolific oil field and in the midst of a fertile agricultural district. During the year 1905, the Pennsylvania Railroad
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Blackburn in Allen County history. While his home in Allentown was built in the log cabin era, it is always described as the Blackburn mansion, native walnut being used in building it. Including the incorporated village of Elida, the population of American township in the 1920 census is shown as 2,398, and its proximity to Lima gives to its citizenry every modern advantage.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Elida was platted in 1852 by Griffith John, on Sections 7, 8, 17 and 18, German Township. The original town comprised a tract of land known as Lots 1 to 18 north of Main' Street, and Lots 19 to 38 west of the AUentown Road south of Alain Street. The first addition or Lots 39 to 93 was partly laid out southwest of the original town along the P., Ft W. & C. R R. ; Lots 39 to 55, partly north of the original town south of North Street; Lots 56 to 76, and partly southeast of the R. R. ; Lots 77 to 93. The North Add. lies along the north line of North Street
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.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyWriters, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Elida had its own post office from 1854 to 1959.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
In 1852, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Elida’s post office opened in 1854, and the census of 1870 counted 533 people here.
Elida is more historic than 37% of U.S. towns. 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.
18% of Elida’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±8.1 points), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1971.
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 (5), 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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