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B+History
History · Sheffield Township

Sheffield Township dates to 1817, and 28% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 68% of U.S. towns · #443 of 993 in Ohio. What drives it

Below: maps from 1901 on and the census since 1940.

1817founded
0on the National Register
28%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Quick answers

How Sheffield Township began

When was Sheffield Township founded?

1817

Sheffield Township dates its founding to 1817 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1940.

First census: 733 in 19402020 census: 3,963209 years

How historic is Sheffield Township?

B+

More historic than 68% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata.
History grade

What drives Sheffield Township’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Sheffield Township is more historic than 68% of U.S. towns, #443 of 993 in Ohio. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.

B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Sheffield Township’s overall grade.
Founding era1817, from Wikidata: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 194028.4% of homes (±6.5) · typical OH town 14.5% · U.S. 8.4%A−National RegisterNo listings counted · typical OH town 2.9 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 68%
NewerOlder
Ohio towns of 2,500+ (993)Ahead of 55%

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 Sheffield Township’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.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1817.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C+ to A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±6.5 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 Sheffield Township’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Sheffield Township are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19013 editions of the USGS map, 1901 to 1979. Watch Sheffield Township change.Deep rootsEstablished in 1817: 209 years of Sheffield Township.Old housesHalf of Sheffield Township’s homes were built before 1957.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Sheffield Township’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Sheffield Township’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Sheffield Township on the map, 1901 to 1979

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Sheffield Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Sheffield Township on the 1901 USGS mapSheffield Township on the 1960 USGS mapSheffield Township on the 1979 USGS map1901Oberlin 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 Sheffield Township.

The story so far

Sheffield Township, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Sheffield Township yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Sheffield is a village in Lorain County, Ohio, United States, along the Black River. The population was 4,135 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Cleveland metropolitan area.

Sheffield Township was established in 1817. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 3,720 to 3,963 (+7%).

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

By decade

Sheffield Township, decade by decade

Today12 recent
Fall Colors French Creek 42021Fall Colors French Creek 4Fall Colors French Creek 32021Fall Colors French Creek 3Fall Colors French Creek 22021Fall Colors French Creek 2Fall Colors French Creek 12021Fall Colors French Creek 1Sheffield Village Hall2016Sheffield Village HallMilton Garfield House2016Milton Garfield HouseHalsey Garfield House2016Halsey Garfield HouseMap of Lorain County Ohio Highlighting Sheffield Village2015Map of Lorain County Ohio Highlighting Sheffield Vill…MapFrench Creek Reservation toward Burrell Fort2013French Creek Reservation toward Burrell FortEiden district from State Route 6112013Eiden district from State Route 611Burrell Orchard Site from road2013Burrell Orchard Site from roadOHMap-doton-Sheffield2004OHMap-doton-Sheffield
People over time

Sheffield Township, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0004,500194019601980200020204,135

Grew from 733 people in 1940 to 4,135 in 2020, 5 times over.

9 censuses, 1940–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Sheffield Township’s Wikipedia page.

Places that used to be

Old corners and burying grounds

Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Penfield JunctionVincent
1cemetery inside Sheffield Township
Salem

Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Lorain18 historic placesASheffield4 historic placesB+Elyria TownshipIts storyBElyria37 historic placesA

Questions about Sheffield Township’s history

What year was Sheffield Township founded?

In 1817, according to Wikidata. the census of 1940 counted 733 people here.

How does Sheffield Township rank for history?

Sheffield Township is more historic than 68% of U.S. towns, #443 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 Sheffield Township?

28% of Sheffield Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.5 points), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1957.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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Sources

Where this page comes from

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 (12), 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.