Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 22% of U.S. towns · #170 of 285 in Washington. What drives it
Most of Othello was built recently: 6% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1979. Below: maps from 1924 on and the census since 1920.
Othello dates its founding to 1884 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1920.
More historic than 22% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Othello is more historic than 22% of U.S. towns, #170 of 285 in Washington. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
Few Washington towns list much on the Register (a typical Washington town has 0.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Othello’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (27% of Washington towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
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 →
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 Othello’s history is told.
Lost half of its people between 1920 and 1940, then grew more than tenfold.
11 censuses, 1920–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Othello’s Wikipedia page.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Othello. 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 Othello.
From Wikipedia’s history of Othello.
The first white settlers in the area were two brothers, Ben and Sam Hutchinson, who built a cabin along the Crab Creek in 1884. An influx of homesteaders began after the start of the 20th century, and a post office was established in 1904. The post office was named Othello in a public contest after a post office also called Othello in Roane County, Tennessee.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
Born hereDavey Richards is born here
2016Guadalupe Haven
2014Spectacular sunset (600mm lens) from Hwy 17 near
2014Spectacular sunset (600mm lens) from Hwy 17 near
2014Spectacular sunset (600mm lens) from Hwy 17 near
2014Spectacular sunset (600mm lens) from Hwy 17 near
2014CityofOthelloSeal
2013My bike at a cafe in
2013Inventory parked in a handicap zone
2010Sandhill Cranes - Flickr - GregTheBusker
2010Geese - Flickr - GregTheBusker
2009Great Horned Owl on a nest, Othello Cemetery
2009Burrowing Owls
2009Burrowing Owls
2008Othello, WA
2007Othello, WA - The Old Hotel
2007Othello WA water storage tankWriters, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
In 1884, according to Wikidata. Othello’s post office opened in 1904, and the census of 1920 counted 649 people here.
Othello is more historic than 22% of U.S. towns, #170 of 285 in Washington. 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.
6% of Othello’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.6 points), against a typical 4.3% for a Washington town; the median home was built in 1979.
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 (16), 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.
