Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1961 on and the census since 1870.
Palestine dates its founding to 1833 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1870.
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 Palestine’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Palestine.
Palestine was platted by Samuel Loring in 1833. It has always been a small community, although its population declined during the twentieth century; the 1910 census recorded 216 residents.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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 SurveyPassages that mention Palestine, cut from the printed page as they were published.
named, about 181 (i. but little was known of this man more than that he came originally from South Carolina, as did. also, Alexander Pearson, who was. perhaps, the third settler. Samuel Loring, who settled on the southwest quarter of Section 14. and who laid out the town of Palestine, was the next permanent settler. Peter Crumrine moved into German Township on March 12, 1817. The name of Daniel Wagner is associated with those of the pioneers. The family of which he was a member located on the northeast quarter of Section 24, on the edge of the prairie. They were originally from Berks County. Penn.. whence the}'
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Palestine is the only village of importance in German township. It was laid out in 1833 by Samuel Loring. It now has two churches, a high school, a town hall and is known as a good trading center, but having no railway or traction facilities has made but slow growth, its population in 1910 being 216. Although there are but a few miles of railway in the southern part of this township, the real property was assessed in 1913 at $2,030,750 and the personal property at
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
In the village of Palestine, Darke county, he began practicing, remaining there for eight years, when, wishing to seek a broader field of labor, he took up his abode in Greenville, where he has since remained. He has gained a prestige which many an older practitioner might envy and excellent results have attended his care of the sick, making him a
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
an early da}*, and spoke to the people of things eternal and spiritual. They were ministers of the German Baptist Church. The first church built in this township was known as the "St. John's," a Lutheran enterprise, erected in 1826, south of Palestine, on land owned by John Ketring. The old structure was constructed of tree-trunks cut from the forest surrounding, but. in 1868, this was supplanted by a more comfortable and pretentious frame building. The old church was used by the Lutherans alone for many years, and then the German Reformed organization united with them, the two using the same church, employing the same minister, but
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.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Palestine. 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 Palestine.
Between 170 and 264 people in every census since 1870.
15 censuses, 1870–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Palestine’s Wikipedia page.
Palestine’s post office has been open since 1901. Another post office, German, opened and closed inside today’s town.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
In 1833, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Palestine’s post office opened in 1835, and the census of 1870 counted 264 people here.
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). How TownRatings grades history →
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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