Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 25% of U.S. towns · #318 of 362 in Wisconsin. What drives it
Most of Algoma was built recently: 7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1992. Below: maps from 1961 on and old-book passages.
Algoma dates its founding to 1851 (Wikipedia’s history).
More historic than 25% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Algoma is more historic than 25% of U.S. towns, #318 of 362 in Wisconsin. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
Wisconsin towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Wisconsin town has 3.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Algoma’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (28% of Wisconsin towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: Wikipedia (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 Algoma’s history is told.
Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.
Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikipedia’s history of Algoma.
The community was established in 1851 as "Wolf River", a loose translation of a native term. The town was renamed "Algoma" (native term for "park of flowers") in 1871. Over the years, the community has shifted from commercial fishing to tourism.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Algoma, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The Town of Algoma was setoffanjd organ ized by authority of the County Board, Febru ary 5, 1850 (see Algoma), and the same date by the same authority, the name of Brighto was changed to Nekimi. On the fourteenth c November of same year the Town of Blac Wolf was also set off from Nekimi and orgar ized by the County Board.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
the names of towns), that all of Township 18, Range 16, lying south of Fox River and west of the west line of Sections 24, 25 and 36, shall be organized as the Town of Algoma, leaving to the Town of Oshkosh all of Township 18, Ranges 16 and 17, lying north of Fox River, and fractional Sections 24, 25 and 36, Township 18, Range i6, south of the river.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Algoma. 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 Algoma.
Nobody well known was born in Algoma itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1851, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town.
Algoma is more historic than 25% of U.S. towns, #318 of 362 in Wisconsin. 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.
7% of Algoma’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.1 points), against a typical 12% for a Wisconsin town; the median home was built in 1992.
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 (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
2005