Trotwood’s post office opened in 1866, and 2 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 44% of U.S. towns · #712 of 993 in Ohio. What drives it
Most of Trotwood was built recently: 9% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1963. Its Register listings are the Trotwood Railroad Station and Depot and the Sears, Roebuck and Company. Below: maps from 1905 on and the census since 1870.
The Trotwood post office opened in 1866, the earliest record of the town by name. Four smaller post offices, Bear Creek (1850), Hays Store (1851) and Amity (1879), opened inside today’s city and later closed.
First census: 42 in 18702020 census: 23,070160 years
How historic is Trotwood?
C+
More historic than 44% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: the first Trotwood post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Trotwood’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Trotwood is more historic than 44% of U.S. towns, #712 of 993 in Ohio. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
C+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Trotwood’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 Trotwood’s 1.3 sits near the middle of its state (50% of Ohio towns have fewer) while its 3 historic buildings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to B−. The pre-1940 share (±1.9 points) is firm at this size. The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date.
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 Trotwood’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds
Trotwood had its own post office from 1866 to 1955. Four other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.
Bear Creek
1850–1852
Hays Store
1851–1859
Trotwood
1866–1955
Amity
1879–1902
Mummaville
1880–1905
18501940today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Catalpa Grove Mobile Home ParkHays CornerKingsvilleMain Meadows Mobile Home ParkPinchtownPost TownRegina HeightsSix MileSixmileStillwater JunctionStringtownTaylorsburgVoyager Village West
Gone or out of use
Amity Post Officepost officeSherwood Twin Drive-InlocaleTrotwood Post Officepost office
Trotwood was originally called Higgins Station, and under the latter name was platted in 1854.
The Village of Trotwood was incorporated in 1901 from portions of Madison Township (the township itself was established in 1809); in 1996 the village and township merged into a single political entity. This merger resulted in the creation of a Trotwood neighborhood (Townview) that is completely surrounded by the City of Dayton. Several smaller sections are attached to Trotwood by only a roadway or a small strip of land. The merger also added a large rural area to this suburban community consisting of farms, golf courses, and large rural estates.
The Trotwood post office opened in 1866, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does Trotwood rank for history?
Trotwood is more historic than 44% of U.S. towns, #712 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 Trotwood?
Two places: the Trotwood Railroad Station and Depot (listed 1981) and the Sears, Roebuck and Company (2023).
How old are the homes in Trotwood?
9% of Trotwood’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.9 points), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1963.
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 Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (2), 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) 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.
