Gunnison dates to 1859, and 24% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 66% of U.S. towns · #17 of 119 in Utah. What drives it
Its Register listings are the Casino Theatre, the Oberg-Metcalf House and the James and Caroline M. Metcalf House. Its Register listings are the Casino Theatre, the Oberg-Metcalf House and the James and Caroline M. Metcalf House. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1966 on, and the census since 1870.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1864.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Gunnison’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Gunnison is more historic than 66% of U.S. towns, #17 of 119 in Utah. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Gunnison’s overall grade.
Utah towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Utah town has 3.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Gunnison’s 8.4 sits near the middle of its state (64% of Utah towns have fewer) while its 3 listings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±6.6 points). Two sources give 1859.
Founding year: Wikidata (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 →
In the summer of 2007, over 24,000 US gallons (91,000 L) of gasoline leaked from a storage tank beneath the Top Stop gas station, located on the corner of South Main and East Center and owned by Wind River Petroleum. The gasoline leaked throughout the soil beneath South Main Street and eventually throughout the southwest side of town, contaminating businesses and homes. On August 10, 2007, local and state officials ordered the temporary evacuation of an entire Main Street block, heavily populated with businesses, because of the fumes from the gasoline leak. In the weeks following, Wasatch Environmental installed underground soil-ventilation systems. Several businesses, including the Top Stop, permanently closed, and some homes were evacuated. Gunnison City, along with several businesses and residents, filed suit against Wind River Petroleum over the handling of the gas leak. As of 2010,…
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1859, according to Wikidata. Gunnison’s post office opened in 1864, and the census of 1870 counted 475 people here.
How does Gunnison rank for history?
Gunnison is more historic than 66% of U.S. towns, #17 of 119 in Utah. 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.
What is on the National Register in Gunnison?
Three places: the Casino Theatre (listed 1989), the Oberg-Metcalf House (1997) and the James and Caroline M. Metcalf House (1998).
How old are the homes in Gunnison?
24% of Gunnison’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.6 points), against a typical 2.8% for an Utah town; the median home was built in 1975.
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 (3), the Library of Congress (2), Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (3), 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.
1910
1912
