Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 10% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Most of George West was built recently: 3% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1984. Below: maps from 1927 on and the census since 1950.
The George West post office opened in 1914, the earliest record of the town by name.
More historic than 10% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, George West is more historic than 10% of U.S. towns. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
Few Texas towns list much on the Register (a typical Texas town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so George West’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (34% of Texas towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
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 →
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 George West’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of George West.
George West was a land venture and ranching enterprise of George Washington West and Kittie West. Originally from Shannonville Tennessee, West began to build his town in 1913, after ranching from 1880 to 1912 in the area between Pleasanton and Corpus Christi. He sold his cattle holdings and began to colonize some 75,000 acres (300 km2).
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
2012384 - panoramio (2)
2012384 - panoramio (1)
2008Trail Side Artisan business in George West, TX IMG 09…
2008George West, TX, sign IMG 0972
2008George West, TX, City Hall IMG 0974
2008Downtown George West, TX IMG 0977
2007Buck West House in George West, TX IMG 0973
2006Live oak courthouse
2004TXMap-doton-GeorgeWestEvery edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of George West. 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 George West.
Between 1,533 and 2,627 people in every census since 1950.
8 censuses, 1950–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on George West’s Wikipedia page.
Nobody well known was born in George West itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
The George West post office opened in 1914, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
George West is more historic than 10% 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.
3% of George West’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.0 points), against a typical 1.6% for a Texas town; the median home was built in 1984.
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 (9), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), 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.
