Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 69% of U.S. towns · #433 of 993 in Ohio. What drives it
Most of West Union was built recently: 7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1976. Its Register listings are the West Union Presbyterian Church, the Cockerill House and the Tet Woods Building. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1904 on, and the census since 1810.
West Union dates its founding to 1803 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1810.
More historic than 69% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, West Union is more historic than 69% of U.S. towns, #433 of 993 in Ohio. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
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 West Union’s 10.3 sits above most of its state (75% of Ohio towns have fewer) while its 3 listings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.
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 →
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how West Union’s history is told.
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.
1904Sheet 1 of 4Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of West Union. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of West Union.
From Wikipedia’s history of West Union.
West Union was laid out in 1803. A post office called West Union has been in operation since 1805. The village was incorporated in 1859.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention West Union, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The Wilson Children's Home is located about one-half mile east of the court house, on the corporation line of the town of West Union, on the south side of the Cedar Mills turnpike, at its junction with the West Union and Locust Grove turnpike. The site is a most pleasing one, affording a fine view of the town of West Union, and of the surrounding country. Thesanitary conditions arc unexcelled, the drainage being perfect, and abundance of pure water easily accessible. The building constructed of brick and native limestone is of modern archi-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Henry Soott, West Union, Ohio, was bom March 6, 1838, in Green Township, Adams County. He lived in Jeflferson Township from 1840 till 1872, at which latter date he located in West Union. His education was acquired in the common schools of Jefferson Township, at the old academy at North Liberty, and in the West Union Hisrh School. He taught in Green and Jefferson district schools for about ten years, and was a Digitized by
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.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Born hereJohn Means is born here
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
Born hereDamien Burroughs is born here
2015Map of Adams County Ohio Highlighting West Union Vill…Map
2013WestUnionOH3
2013WestUnionOH2
2013WestUnionOH1
2013AdamsCountyOHLibrary3
2012West Union, Ohio
2012West Union, Ohio Library
2012Joseph Cockerill
20102010 Census Urban Cluster Reference Map forBook
2007Afternoon Along Logans Lane
2004OHMap-doton-West UnionNo then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on West Union’s page.
Retake this view · +15The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Between 229 and 3,241 people in every census since 1810.
22 censuses, 1810–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on West Union’s Wikipedia page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
West Union’s post office has been open since 1805.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
In 1803, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. West Union’s post office opened in 1805, and the census of 1810 counted 229 people here.
West Union is more historic than 69% of U.S. towns, #433 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.
Three places: the West Union Presbyterian Church (listed 1976), the Cockerill House (1978) and the Tet Woods Building (1982).
7% of West Union’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.0 points), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1976.
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
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), Wikidata (3), the National Register of Historic Places (3), 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, 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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