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History · Centerville

Centerville dates to 1883, and 42% of its homes were built before 1940

Its Register listings are the James S. Thomson House, the William Higinbotham House and the Tenus Isaac Gunderson House. Its Register listings are the James S. Thomson House, the William Higinbotham House and the Tenus Isaac Gunderson House. Below: maps from 1893 on and the census since 1890.

1883founded
3on the National Register
42%homes built before 1940
2famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Centerville began, and where its name came from

When was Centerville founded?

1883

Centerville dates its founding to 1883 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1890.

First census: 723 in 18902020 census: 918143 years

How did Centerville get its name?

Centerville was named due to its location between Parker and Vermillion.

Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1871. Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓

What stands out about Centerville’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Centerville are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18974 editions of the USGS map, 1897 to 1985. Watch Centerville change.Mapped building by building5 fire insurance maps, 1893 to 1917, drew every building in Centerville.Lost villages2 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Centerville.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Centerville’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Centerville’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Centerville on the map, 1897 to 1985

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Centerville. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Centerville on the 1897 USGS mapCenterville on the 1900 USGS mapCenterville on the 1968 USGS mapCenterville on the 1985 USGS map1897Canton sheet · 1:125,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Centerville.

Every building

Centerville, building by building, 1893–1917

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.

Centerville fire insurance map, 1893, sheet 11893Sheet 1 of 2
Edition
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

The story

How Centerville came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Centerville.

Read it all →

Centerville was platted in 1883. It was named due to its location between Parker and Vermillion.

One of the most powerful tornadoes in the 2003 South Dakota tornado outbreak was located around Centerville and was rated an F-2 on the Fujita scale. It had maximum winds of 135 miles per hour and caused damage in the town of Centerville and surrounding areas. No fatalities were reported with this tornado. Along with the F-2 tornado that was reported, 19 other tornadoes touched down within a 50-mile radius of Centerville.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Centerville, 1871 to 1899

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1871Post officeThe Martin post office opens
  3. 1872Post officeThe Martin post office closes
  4. 1872Post officeThe Centreville post office opens
  5. 1883
    FoundingCenterville is established
  6. 1893Post officeThe Centreville post office closes
  7. 1893Post officeThe Centerville post office opens
  8. 1895Born hereClinton Anderson is born here
  9. 1897On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  10. 1899BuiltTenus Isaac Gunderson House is built
  11. 1899Born hereCletus Dixon is born here
By decade

Centerville, decade by decade

Today2 recent
Colfax Corner, South Dakota2012Colfax Corner, South DakotaSDMap-doton-Centerville2004SDMap-doton-Centerville
On the National Register

3 historic places in Centerville

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
3
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
5
each building in a district counts
first listed
1983
James S. Thomson House
James S. Thomson HouseWilliam Higinbotham HouseTenus Isaac Gunderson House, built 1899
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Neo-Colonial1
Greek Revival1
Stick Style1
Late Victorian: Shingle Style1
Late Victorian: Queen Anne1
James S. Thomson HouseNeo-Colonial
William Higinbotham HouseLate Victorian: Shingle Style
Tenus Isaac Gunderson HouseLate Victorian: Queen Anne · Built 1899

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

Centerville, census by census

02004006008001,0001,2001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 1,169

Between 723 and 1,169 people in every census since 1890.

14 censuses, 1890–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Centerville’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

2 famous people were born in Centerville

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Clinton AndersonAmerican politician · b. 1895
C
Cletus DixonBaseball player and manager · b. 1899
Places that used to be

Lost post offices

Centerville’s post office has been open since 1893. Two other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Martin
1871–1872
Centreville
1872–1893
Centerville
1893–today
18701950today

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Questions about Centerville’s history

What year was Centerville founded?

In 1883, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Centerville’s post office opened in 1871, and the census of 1890 counted 723 people here.

What is on the National Register in Centerville?

Three places: the James S. Thomson House (listed 1983), the William Higinbotham House (2001) and the Tenus Isaac Gunderson House (2004).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

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), 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 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.