The Toronto post office opened in 1880, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1881. Two smaller post offices, Sloans Station (1861) and Markle (1882), opened inside today’s city and later closed.
First census: 2,536 in 18902020 census: 5,303146 years
How historic is Toronto?
B+
More historic than 66% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: the first Toronto post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Wikidata: 1881.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Toronto’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Toronto is more historic than 66% of U.S. towns, #475 of 993 in Ohio. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Toronto’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 Toronto’s 1.9 sits near the middle of its state (52% of Ohio towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.
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 (±5.4 points). The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date; Wikidata’s 1881 falls in the same era, so the grade doesn’t depend on which one is used.
Founding year: the first post office (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 Toronto’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The area was first settled in the 19th century, when it was known as Newburg's Landing. When the railway was built, however, the area's name was changed to Sloanes Station. In 1881, following a vote, the town was incorporated under its present name, inspired by Toronto, Ontario. The name was suggested by pioneer manufacturer Thomas M. Daniels and his business associate, W. F. Dunsbaugh—a Toronto, Ontario native—who believed it was a place worth emulating. Along with its Canadian counterpart, it is one of only two incorporated cities in the world named Toronto.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Toronto. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1904Steubenville 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 Toronto.
Every building
Toronto, building by building, 1892–1911
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.
The Toronto post office opened in 1880, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1881.
How does Toronto rank for history?
Toronto is more historic than 66% of U.S. towns, #475 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 Toronto?
One place: the Toronto World War I Momument (listed 2004).
How old are the homes in Toronto?
33% of Toronto’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.4 points), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1955.
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 the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, 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 and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
