Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
New Waterford dates its founding to 1851 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1880.
More historic than 34% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, New Waterford is more historic than 34% 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 New Waterford’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 New Waterford’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of New Waterford. 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 New Waterford.
From Wikipedia’s history of New Waterford.
New Waterford was laid out in 1851 by John and Robert Silliman as Bull Creek. The village was later renamed for Waterford, Ireland. In the 19th century, New Waterford contained sawmills and gristmills powered by the Big Bull Creek. The village was incorporated in 1900.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention New Waterford, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Near the depot, in New Waterford, Christ & Boos built a water-power grist-mill about 1848, which became the property of the Sillimans several years later, who added steam-power. In August, 1862, it was destroyed by fire, and the place was unoccupied until 1873, when James C.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Christ & Roos about 1848 built a waterpower grist-mill in New Waterford. A few years later it passed into the hands of the Sillimans, who added steam power. In August, 1865, it was destroyed by fire. In 1873 James.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
New Waterford has always been well supplied with schools. In 1899 the Union school building was struck by lightning and burned.
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 SurveyBetween 192 and 1,391 people in every census since 1880.
13 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on New Waterford’s Wikipedia page.
New Waterford’s post office has been open since 1854.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
In 1851, according to Wikidata. New Waterford’s post office opened in 1854, and the census of 1880 counted 192 people here.
New Waterford is more historic than 34% 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.
15% of New Waterford’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.9 points), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1974.
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 (6), Wikipedia, 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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