More historic than 16% of U.S. towns · #938 of 993 in Ohio. What drives it
Most of Mentor-on-the-Lake was built recently: 9% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1975. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1905 on, and the census since 1930.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Mentor-on-the-Lake is more historic than 16% of U.S. towns, #938 of 993 in Ohio. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Mentor-on-the-Lake’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 Mentor-on-the-Lake’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.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to C. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.4 points). Two sources give 1924.
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 Mentor-on-the-Lake’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 Mentor-on-the-Lake. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1905Mentor 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 Mentor-on-the-Lake.
Originally part of Mentor Township, the village was established October 22, 1924. The U.S. Census for 1970 recorded the official population as being over 5,000 and thus it became an incorporated city on February 12, 1971.
A vast majority of the land that comprises Mentor-On-The-Lake was originally owned and deeded as the Dickey-Moore tract and extended all the way south beyond U.S. Route 20 in the city of Mentor. A remnant of this era is a property known as Mooreland which was once owned by the Moore family and is situated on land that now houses Lakeland Community College.
Mentor-on-the-Lake shares many services with the nearby city of Mentor, including postal service.
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 1924, according to Wikidata. the census of 1930 counted 230 people here.
How does Mentor-on-the-Lake rank for history?
Mentor-on-the-Lake is more historic than 16% of U.S. towns, #938 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.
How old are the homes in Mentor-on-the-Lake?
9% of Mentor-on-the-Lake’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.4 points), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1975.
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), Wikipedia, 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.
2021
2015
2014
2014
