Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Lauderdale Lakes. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1892Whitewater sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Lauderdale Lakes.
The lakes were named after James Lauderdale. James moved to the area in 1841 along with his family. The New York native built the first residential building in 1842. James, his brother-in-law, and his cousin each purchased 160 acres of the Homestead Act price of $1.25 an acre. James and his family went back to New York and shortly returned in September 1842. James built a log cabin along the shore. James' wife didn't like living next to the water so they built a larger house next to the road in 1855. Eight years later, Chicago native John Wheeler bought the shoreline property and started building the Sterlingworth Hotel in 1893.
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 Wikipedia and U.S. Geological Survey historical maps. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
