The story
from WikipediaRead it all ↗Delavan was founded by a group of settlers from Rhode Island. The city derives its name from Edward C. Delavan, a temperance advocate from Albany, New York. A post office has been in operation at Delavan since 1840.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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Start Delavan’s collection
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Delavan’s history is told.
0 of 10 decades since 1900 have photos 📦Share a family photoSign in to add one+10Famous people from Delavan
See all 4 →By decade
Delavan, 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
3 historic places in Delavan
Delavan has 3 listings on the National Register, and they protect 21 historic buildings, because Delavan Commercial Historic District alone counts 20.
#93
In Illinoisby listings · most towns there have none
3places listed1 building · 1 district · 1 other
0National Historic LandmarksNone here yet
21historic buildings protectedcounting each building in a district
1991first listedDelavan Commercial Historic District · newest: Third St. Bridge, 1999
Where they are
Tap a dot for a photo and link. Districts show at their center.
BuildingsDistrictsStructures
When they were listed
The Register began in 1966.
60s
70s
80s
390s
00s
10s
20s
Listed 1991Delavan Commercial Historic DistrictListed 1998Ayer Public LibraryListed 1999Third St. Bridge
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 (2) and the National Register (3). Images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.