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History · Dawson

Dawson dates to 1847, and 27% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: 1 old photo or paper.

1847founded
0on the National Register
27%homes built before 1940
1old photo or paper
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Dawson’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Dawson began

When was Dawson founded?

1847

Dawson dates its founding to 1847 (Wikidata). Its post office opened in 1882.

2020 census: 815179 years
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1882.The full story ↓

What stands out about Dawson’s past

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

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 1 old photo is in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Deep rootsEstablished in 1847: 179 years of Dawson.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Dawson’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Date a photo1 archive item has no date. Guess the decade.+2Retake an old viewDawsonisd: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Timeline

Dawson, 1847 to 1939

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1847
    FoundingDawson is established
  3. 1882Post officeThe Dawson post office opens
  4. 20th century
  5. 1913Born hereJimmy Lawrence is born here
  6. 1914Born hereLester Roloff is born here
  7. 1939Born hereAnjanette Comer is born here
The story

How Dawson came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Dawson.

Read it all →

The town was established in 1847 and was the second town established in the county.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Dawson, decade by decade

Date unknown1 to date
DawsonisdDate?Dawsonisd
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Dawsonisd
Retake this viewDawsonisd

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Dawson’s page.

Retake this view · +15
Famous people

3 famous people were born in Dawson

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

See all →
Anjanette ComerAmerican actress · b. 1939
J
Jimmy LawrencePlayer of American football · b. 1913
L
Lester RoloffAmerican Baptist preacher · b. 1914

Questions about Dawson’s history

What year was Dawson founded?

In 1847, according to Wikidata. Dawson’s post office opened in 1882.

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 (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) 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.