Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Its Register listing is the Anderson Barn. Most of Altoona Township was built recently: 3% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 2011. Below: maps from 1895 on and the census since 1900.
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 Altoona Township’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Altoona Township. 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 Altoona Township.
Peaked at 358 in 1920; 112 people lived here in 2020.
13 censuses, 1900–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Altoona Township’s Wikipedia page.
From Wikipedia’s history of Altoona Township.
Hitchcock was platted in 1881. Early variant names were Clarkville and Altoona. The present name honors Charles S. Hitchcock, an original owner of the town site. A post office has been in operation in Hitchcock since 1881.
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.
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyThe 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.
Nobody well known was born in Altoona Township itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
One place: the Anderson Barn (listed 2003).
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). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (2), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) 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.
2013
2004