Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 90% of U.S. towns. What drives it
6 places in town are on the National Register. Below: 10 old photos and papers, maps from 1886 on, and the census since 1820.
Woodsfield dates its founding to 1813 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1820.
Woodsfield was named for Archibald Woods.
More historic than 90% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Woodsfield is more historic than 90% of U.S. towns. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its share of homes from before 1940 ranks highest and its age lowest.
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 Woodsfield’s 25.0 sits above most of its state (82% of Ohio towns have fewer) while its 6 listings outnumber those of 72% 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.
Drag across each photo to compare.
19112009Fire 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.
1886Sheet 1 of 1Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Peaked at 3,239 in 1970; 2,210 people lived here in 2020.
21 censuses, 1820–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Woodsfield’s Wikipedia page.
From Wikipedia’s history of Woodsfield.
Woodsfield was founded in 1813 as seat of the newly formed Monroe County. It was named for Archibald Woods. The village was incorporated in 1835.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Born hereJohn W. Okey is born here
Born hereSophie Naylor Grubb is born here
Born hereSad Sam Jones is born here
In the archiveWoodsfield, Monroe County, Ohio, 1899
Born hereDonald Gwinn is born here
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
In the archiveEast side of Public Square, Woodsfield, Ohio2 decades in the archive, from the 1890s to the 1910s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
1899Woodsfield, Monroe County, Ohio, 18991911East side of Public Square, Woodsfield, OhioPostcard
1911East side of Public Square, Woodsfield, OhioPostcard
1911Methodist Episcopal Church, Woodsfield, OhioPostcard
1911Methodist Episcopal Church, Woodsfield, OhioPostcard
1911Monroe Bank, Woodsfield, OhioPostcard
1911Monroe Bank, Woodsfield, OhioPostcard
1911Monroe Bank, Woodsfield, OhioPostcard
1911Monroe Bank, Woodsfield, OhioPostcard
1914Sam V. StewartEvery edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Woodsfield. 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 Woodsfield.
The 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.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Woodsfield’s post office has been open since 1815.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.
In 1813, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Woodsfield’s post office opened in 1815, and the census of 1820 counted 81 people here.
Woodsfield is more historic than 90% of U.S. towns. 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.
6 listings: 6 buildings, among them the Monroe Bank (listed 1980, the first).
27% of Woodsfield’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.1 points), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1959.
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), the National Register of Historic Places (6), 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.
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