More historic than 17% of U.S. towns · #344 of 362 in Wisconsin. What drives it
Most of Genoa City was built recently: 9% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1993. Below: maps from 1963 on and the census since 1880.
How Genoa City began, and where its name came from
When was Genoa City founded?
1924
The Genoa City post office opened in 1924, the earliest record of the town by name. Another post office, Genoa Junction (1874), opened inside today’s town and later closed.
First census: 303 in 18802020 census: 2,982102 years
How did Genoa City get its name?
Genoa City was named after Genoa, New York, which, in turn, was named after Genoa, Italy.
How historic is Genoa City?
C−
More historic than 17% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Genoa City is more historic than 17% of U.S. towns, #344 of 362 in Wisconsin. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Genoa City’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 Genoa City’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 any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to C. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.6 points). The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date.
Founding year: the first post office (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 →
What stands out about Genoa City’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Genoa City's land was purchased from the government in 1841. James Dickerson originally platted the village, first known simply as "Genoa", on May 9 and 19, 1850, and it was recorded July 12 that year. There were 23 lots and settlers paid $1.25 an acre. The first two railroad lines were built in the 1850s and 1862, respectively. In 1853, a Congregational Church moved from Bloomfield to Genoa City and built a new church. A bell was added in 1872, and a classroom in 1893. The post office was renamed "Genoa Junction" in 1874 and the village was first incorporated as such on October 15, 1901. By 1880, Genoa City had about 300 residents and a post office, hotel, flour mill, grist mill, lumber yard, drug store, grocery store, hardware store, tailor, shoe maker, two carriage shops, three general stores, and two salon keepers. In 1885, Adolph Freeman platted two additions after fire destroyed m…
The Genoa City post office opened in 1924, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does Genoa City rank for history?
Genoa City is more historic than 17% of U.S. towns, #344 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 Genoa City?
9% of Genoa City’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.6 points), against a typical 12% for a Wisconsin town; the median home was built in 1993.
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 Wikipedia, 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.
