More historic than 41% of U.S. towns · #739 of 993 in Ohio. What drives it
Most of Sylvania Township was built recently: 6% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1981. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1900 on, and the census since 1880.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1835.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Sylvania Township’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Sylvania Township is more historic than 41% of U.S. towns, #739 of 993 in Ohio. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
C+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Sylvania Township’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 Sylvania 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 1833.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to B−. The pre-1940 share (±1.4 points) is firm at this size.
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 Sylvania Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Lost post offices, old corners and places now gone
Three other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.
Mitchaw
1883–1901
Glanntown
1890–1901
Silica
1922–1923
18801950today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Central Avenue ParkElden HeightsMitchawSilica
Gone or out of use
Kellers StripairportMitchaw Post Officepost officeSilica Post Officepost officeSmith SidinglocaleSylvania Quarrymine
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
On the map
Sylvania Township on the map, 1900 to 1980
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Sylvania Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1900Toledo 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 Sylvania Township.
Timeline
Sylvania Township, 1833 to 1923
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
General David White is considered the founder of Sylvania as the first pioneer settler and town supervisor, originally from Palmyra, New York. In 1832, White was given the title of General (possibly after services rendered during the War of 1812), which allowed him to explore the western Lake Erie region. In realizing the potential of some available land to the north of Maumee, Ohio, a notable port city at the time, he acquired a title to the land and built a log cabin at what would eventually be the corner of Summit and Monroe streets near downtown Sylvania.
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 1833, according to Wikidata. Sylvania Township’s post office opened in 1835, and the census of 1880 counted 532 people here.
How does Sylvania Township rank for history?
Sylvania Township is more historic than 41% of U.S. towns, #739 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 Sylvania Township?
6% of Sylvania Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.4 points), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1981.
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) 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.
1910
1910
2012