Fairview Park dates to 1903, and 13% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 37% of U.S. towns · #777 of 993 in Ohio. What drives it
2 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 2 buildings. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1902 on, and the census since 1920.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Fairview Park’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Fairview Park is more historic than 37% of U.S. towns, #777 of 993 in Ohio. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
C+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Fairview Park’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 Fairview Park’s 2.4 sits near the middle of its state (54% of Ohio towns have fewer) while its 4 historic buildings outnumber those of 68% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to B. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.0 points). Two sources give 1903.
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 Fairview Park’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Fairview Park. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1902Berea sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Fairview Park.
Fairview Park was originally part of Rockport Township, later the Rocky River hamlet. The hamlet was incorporated as a village in 1903 and was split in 1910, with the northern part of the region becoming Rocky River and the southern part assuming the name Goldwood. Part of the Goldwood Township was later annexed to Rocky River and Goldwood would subsequently be incorporated as a separate village. Afterwards, Goldwood was split into two regions. A large portion of the land to the north became the Village of Fairview (later Fairview Village). Meanwhile, the remaining land located in the southwest corner and land along Center Ridge Road remained as Goldwood and was later incorporated as a village. By 1925, the remaining Goldwood region was renamed Parkview.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1903, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1920 counted 642 people here.
How does Fairview Park rank for history?
Fairview Park is more historic than 37% of U.S. towns, #777 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 Fairview Park?
Two places: the NASA Lewis Research Center-Development Engineering Building & Annex (listed 2016) and the Fairview Community Park Historic District (2013).
How old are the homes in Fairview Park?
13% of Fairview Park’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.0 points), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1957.
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 (1), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (2), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
