More historic than 22% of U.S. towns · #94 of 131 in Oklahoma. What drives it
Most of McLoud was built recently: 7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1986. Below: maps from 1904 on and the census since 1900.
The McLoud post office opened in 1895, the earliest record of the town by name. Another post office, McCloud (1895), opened inside today’s city and later closed.
First census: 498 in 19002020 census: 4,351131 years
How historic is McLoud?
C−
More historic than 22% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: the first McLoud post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓
History grade
What drives McLoud’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, McLoud is more historic than 22% of U.S. towns, #94 of 131 in Oklahoma. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of McLoud’s overall grade.
Oklahoma towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Oklahoma town has 5.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so McLoud’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (18% of Oklahoma towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to C. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.9 points). 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 McLoud’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
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.
Early day McLoud was known for manufacturing and selling whiskey to whites and American Indians in dry Indian Territory. Located on the North Canadian River, the original town was destroyed in a flood and was rebuilt on higher ground one mile south.
In June 1895, a post office named McCloud was established for the town, named after railroad attorney John William McLoud. The spelling of the post office name was corrected in October 1895. The town incorporated July 7, 1896. The town was an agricultural center for much of its history. By the start of the 21st century, it had become a bedroom community, with many of its residents commuting to work in other towns.
The McLoud post office opened in 1895, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does McLoud rank for history?
McLoud is more historic than 22% of U.S. towns, #94 of 131 in Oklahoma. 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 McLoud?
7% of McLoud’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.9 points), against a typical 7.0% for an Oklahoma town; the median home was built in 1986.
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 (5), 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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