Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: old-book passages.
The Arlington post office opened in 1852, the earliest record of the town by name. Another post office, Dixon (1872), opened inside today’s town and later closed.
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 Arlington’s history is told.
From Wikipedia’s history of Arlington.
Arlington was originally settled in 1838. The village was platted in 1871 by David Bullen and Mrs. Sarah Pierce, who then owned all the land comprising the current village. The first building in the village was constructed by David Bullen's son, Winslow Bullen, in the summer of 1871.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Arlington, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The village of Arlington, located upon Section 13, of the town of Arlington, was platted in 1871, by Mrs. Sarah Pierce and David Bullen, the former owning the land upon the north side of the main street,and the latter the land upon the south side.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Columbia Co. His father was Mr. Robert Wilson, who came to Columbia Co. from Scotland in 1849, and settled in Sec. "34, town of Dekorra, where he lived about seven years: he then removed to the town of Buffalo, Marquette Co., where he lived about seven years ; then returned to Columbia Co., and settled in Arlington Township, where died about 1873. His mother still lives in the town of Arlington. John was born in Scotland in 1845 ; he has been a resident of Columbia Co. since his parents returned from Marquette Co. He was married to Louisa Calkins, daughter of H. Calkins, of the town of Arlington. Has four children — -Nellie, Vine, Edith and Robert. He owns a farm in the town of Leeds, of 133 acres ; is engaged in farming and stock-raising.
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.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Arlington’s post office has been open since 1852. Another post office, Dixon, opened and closed inside today’s town.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
The Arlington post office opened in 1852, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
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). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), 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.
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