The story
from WikipediaRead it all ↗The community was originally called "Onion Grove" because of the widespread growth of wild onions along Mill Creek. The village was moved in order to be close to a railroad line and the name was changed to "Clarence" on the suggestion of Clarence, New York native Richard Gere.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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Start Clarence’s collection
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Clarence’s history is told.
0 of 10 decades since 1900 have photos 📦Share a family photoSign in to add one+10By decade
Clarence, decade by decade
Before
2000
2000
No old photos in the archives yetWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
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National Register of Historic Places
1 historic place in Clarence
1 place in Clarence is on the National Register of Historic Places, the country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
#186
In Iowaby listings · most towns there have none
1place listed1 other
0National Historic LandmarksNone here yet
0historic buildings protectedcounting each building in a district
1998first listedMill Creek Bridge
Where they are
Tap a dot for a photo and link. Districts show at their center.
Structures
When they were listed
The Register began in 1966.
60s
70s
80s
190s
00s
10s
20s
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places (05/22/2026) · styles from the National Archives catalog · photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place
Then & now
When neighbors add old photos, retakes from the same spot appear here side by side.
Stories next door
nearby towns’ historyFrom Wikimedia Commons (6). Images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.