On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Rittman is more historic than 82% of U.S. towns, #281 of 993 in Ohio. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Rittman’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 Rittman’s 6.6 sits above most of its state (68% of Ohio towns have fewer) while its 4 historic buildings outnumber those of 68% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1814.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would still be A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.3 points).
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 Rittman’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 Rittman. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1901Wooster 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 Rittman.
Places that used to be
Lost post offices, places now gone and burying grounds
Rittman’s post office has been open since 1881. Two other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.
New Prospect
1836–1870
Milton Station
1870–1879
Rittman
1881–today
18301930today
Gone or out of use
Milton Stationlocale
2cemeteries and burying grounds inside Rittman
Ohio Western Reserve NationalShinersburg
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
The story so far
Rittman, in brief
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Rittman yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Rittman is a city in Medina and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. All but a small portion of the city is in Wayne County, within commuting distance of Akron, Canton and Cleveland. The population was 6,131 at the 2020 census.
Rittman was established in 1814. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 6,491 to 6,131 (-6%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
From the old history books
What they wrote about Rittman in 1910
Passages that mention Rittman, cut from the printed page as they were published.
A Catholic church was erected in Milton township in 1858, the cornerstone having been laid July 26, 1858. This embraced the so-called “French Settlement,” and lately the church has laid a cornerstone for a new building to be located at the town of Rittman, where there are twenty families of this faith. At Orrville the church has purchased two lots on the corner of High and Elm street where they contemplate building a church soon.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The work among the Catholics began here in 1855 and in July, 1858, a church was dedicated — a frame building which is still standing. A frame church was built in 1909 costing four thousand dollars. The Catholic work in this section is being rapidly transferred to Rittman, the railroad point, and is all served by the priest at Doylestown at this date. AT STERLING.
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
Rittman, 1814 to 1916
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.
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 1814, according to Wikidata. Rittman’s post office opened in 1836, and the census of 1920 counted 1,803 people here.
How does Rittman rank for history?
Rittman is more historic than 82% of U.S. towns, #281 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 Rittman?
One place: the Gish Farmhouses (listed 1982).
How old are the homes in Rittman?
18% of Rittman’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.3 points), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1965.
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), the National Register of Historic Places (1), 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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