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History · Huntsville

Huntsville dates to 1860, and 36% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: 4 old photos and papers, maps from 1955 on, and the census since 1870.

1860founded
0on the National Register
36%homes built before 1940
4old photos & papers
5famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Huntsville’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Huntsville began

When was Huntsville founded?

1860

Huntsville dates its founding to 1860 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1870.

First census: 1,051 in 18702020 census: 573166 years
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1864.The full story ↓

What stands out about Huntsville’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 4 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Huntsville’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old view633 MSS P 24 B7 F6: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story

How Huntsville came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Huntsville.

Read it all →

Huntsville was founded in 1860 by Jefferson Hunt. An LDS ward was organized there in 1877 with Francis Hammond as Bishop, and he was succeeded in 1885 by David McKay. This David McKay was the father of David O. McKay, later president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A Trappist monastery, the Abbey of Our Lady of the Holy Trinity, was established there in 1947, and closed after 70 years in 2017. The Shooting Star Saloon, the oldest continuously operating bar west of the Mississippi, is located in the town. It opened in 1879. It is known for the off-menu Star Burger: two patties with cheese, Polish knackwurst, and bacon.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Huntsville, 1860 to 1998

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1860
    FoundingHuntsville is established
  3. 1864Post officeThe Huntsville post office opens
  4. 1871In the archive633 MSS P 24 B7 F6
  5. 1873Born hereDavid O. McKay is born here
  6. 1878Born hereJoseph Peterson is born here
  7. 20th century
  8. 1928Born hereMonroe G. McKay is born here
  9. 1955On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  10. 1998Born hereAnders Johnson is born here
By decade

Huntsville, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1870s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1870s4 items
633 MSS P 24 B7 F6c. 1871633 MSS P 24 B7 F6626 MSS P 24 B7 F6c. 1871626 MSS P 24 B7 F6628 MSS P 24 B7 F6c. 1871628 MSS P 24 B7 F6625 MSS P 24 B7 F6c. 1871625 MSS P 24 B7 F6
Today4 recent
DSC 90992012DSC 9099Huntsville-St Florence Catholic Church2009Huntsville-St Florence Catholic ChurchHuntsvilleUtah2008HuntsvilleUtahAldous Cabin2008Aldous Cabin
On the map

Huntsville on the map, 1955 to 1991

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

Huntsville on the 1955 USGS mapHuntsville on the 1975 USGS mapHuntsville on the 1986 USGS mapHuntsville on the 1991 USGS map1955Huntsville sheet · 1:24,000

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

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.

633 MSS P 24 B7 F6
Retake this view633 MSS P 24 B7 F6, c. 1871

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

Retake this view · +15
People over time

Huntsville, census by census

02004006008001,0001,20018801900192019401960198020002020Peak: 1,158

Between 494 and 1,158 people in every census since 1870.

16 censuses, 1870–2020.

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

Famous people

5 famous people were born in Huntsville

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

See all →
David O. McKayPresident of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latt… · b. 1873
A
Anders JohnsonAmerican cyclist · b. 1998
Joseph PetersonAmerican psychologist · b. 1878
M
Monroe G. McKayUnited States federal judge · b. 1928
Georgina G. MarriottAmerican teacher · b. 1865

Questions about Huntsville’s history

What year was Huntsville founded?

In 1860, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Huntsville’s post office opened in 1864, and the census of 1870 counted 1,051 people here.

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 (8), 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) 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.