Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Below: maps from 1909 on and old-book passages.
The Portland post office opened in 1883, the earliest record of the town by name.
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 Portland’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Portland. 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 Portland.
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Portland yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Its first post office opened in 1883. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 808 to 833 (+3%).
Passages that mention Portland, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The town of Jefferson, lying in the southwestern part of Monroe county, known as township fifteen, north of range three west, was originally a part of Portland township, which comprised townships fifteen, range three west, and fifteen, four west, until the year 1858, when the townships separated and township fifteen, range four west, was organized, and by a vote of its people it was named ''Jefferson." Township fifteen, range three west, retained its name of Portland, which it still bears. The years
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Portland Norwegian Lutheran Church is located in the town of Portland, five miles northwest from Cashton. In the early 60s the first Norwegians settled around Melvina, in Cannon valley and on the surrounding ridges. For many years there was no organized congregation, but services occasionally were held by Rev. A.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
In 1858 Erick Peterson located in the town of Portland, and for a time followed the trade of carpenter and builder. In 1859 he purchased 240 acres of land in sections six and twenty-five, and afterwards added forty acres in section thirty-six. After a residence here of nine years, he mov(>d to the town of Jefferson.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
He then purchased a farm of 160 acres in section thirty-six, town of Portland, near the village of Cashton, on which he has made many improvements and since resided. In 1898 he built his modern residence and substantial outbuildings ; in 1912 he erected a large and commodious barn, 36x80 feet, with 16-foot posts and basement 8 feet high, sheeted with oak, covered with galvanized iron, accommodating thirty head of cattle and six horses, and he will soon build a large silo in connection. This is
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.
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Nobody well known was born in Portland itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
Portland had its own post office from 1883 to 1905.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
The Portland post office opened in 1883, 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 U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, 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.
