More historic than 13% of U.S. towns · #351 of 362 in Wisconsin. What drives it
Most of Bayside was built recently: 3% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1968. Below: maps from 1892 on and the census since 1960.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Bayside is more historic than 13% of U.S. towns, #351 of 362 in Wisconsin. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
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HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Bayside’s overall grade.
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 Bayside’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.
How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share (±1.8 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: our sources. 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 →
What stands out about Bayside’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The land that became Bayside was originally inhabited by Native Americans, who surrendered their land to the United States Federal Government in the 1830s. However, it is possible that the Potawatomi Chief Waubeka maintained a summer camp in Bayside and a winter camp in the Ozaukee County community that bears his name as late as 1845.
In the 19th century, the community was part of the Town of Milwaukee, and most of the land was used for logging and then farming by the early Dutch-American settlers.
Bayside is more historic than 13% of U.S. towns, #351 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.
How old are the homes in Bayside?
3% of Bayside’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.8 points), against a typical 12% for a Wisconsin town; the median home was built in 1968.
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 (6), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) 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.
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