London dates to 1810, and 23% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 92% of U.S. towns · #115 of 993 in Ohio. What drives it
4 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 67 buildings. Below: 11 old photos and papers, maps from 1885 on, and the census since 1820.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1813.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives London’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, London is more historic than 92% of U.S. towns, #115 of 993 in Ohio. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its age lowest.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of London’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 London’s 67.7 sits above most of its state (91% of Ohio towns have fewer) while its 71 historic buildings outnumber those of 87% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.3 points). Two sources give 1810.
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 London’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Every building
London, building by building, 1885–1921
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
In 1811, driven by a need to create a county seat, Patrick McLene established London . Soon after, a Methodist church was founded in the community. Today known as First United Methodist Church, this congregation built a small log church building in 1820; it was London's first church. In the early 1900s, the church added facilities for the storage of human milk to sustain the orphanage it then operated.
Passages that mention London, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Madison County, Ohio1915 · page 215Read the page →
Read the text
The waterworks proposition then lay dormant for about five years, when, after much agitation and public discussion, the council, on July 26, 1889, passed “An ordinance to submit to the qualified voters of the incorporated village of London the question of ratifying the contract between John P. Martin and assigns and the incorporated village of London for supplying water to London and its inhabitants for fire and other purposes, dated the 26th day of July, A. D. 1889, as therein set forth, and contingently upon the satisfactory ratification of said contract, granting to the said John P. Martin and assigns the right to lay, relay and maintain in and under the streets, lanes and
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Madison County Ohio1915 · page 215Read the page →
Read the text
were cast against the proposition and one hundred and eighty-one for it The waterworks proposition then lay dormant for about five years, when, after much agitation and public discussion, the council, on July 26, 1888, passed “An ordinance to submit to the qualified voters of the incorporated village of London the question of ratifying the contract between John P. Martin and assigns and the incorporated village of London for supplying water to London and its inhabitants for fire and other purposes, dated the 26th day of July, A. D. 1888, as therein set forth, and contingently upon the satisfactory ratification of Bald contract, granting to the said John P. Martin
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Madison County, Ohio1915 · page 199Read the page →
Read the text
London was incorporated on February 10th, 1831. In accordance with the provisions of an act of the Legislature for the incorporation of the town of London, the first election in said town to choose officers was held at the court house on the 9th of April, 1831. David Reeves, John B. Croney and James M. Thompson were chosen judges and Peter Smith and Daniel R. Ferguson were chosen clerks of said election.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Madison County Ohio1915 · page 835Read the page →
Read the text
Mr. Green had “Glade Hill” addition to the town of London laid out, and a few thousand dollars were paid by the more enterprising of the local people for lots iu this addition. As the lots are worth more than was paid for them, it can be truthfully stated that these institutions came to London at no cost to the people of London.
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
London, 1810 to 1938
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
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 1810, according to Wikidata. London’s post office opened in 1813, and the census of 1820 counted 132 people here.
How does London rank for history?
London is more historic than 92% of U.S. towns, #115 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 London?
4 listings: 3 buildings, among them the Madison County Courthouse (listed 1973, the first), and 1 historic district, the London Commercial Business Historic District, with 67 contributing buildings. 71 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in London?
23% of London’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.3 points), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1974.
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 (4), the Library of Congress (7), the National Register of Historic Places (4), 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, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) 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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