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Colfax, Illinois

Colfax is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 996 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
Colfax is located in eastern McLean County at 40.56639°N, -88.61528°W (40.566290, -88.615304). Illinois Route 165 runs along the northern border of the village, leading west-southwest 26 mi to Bloomington, the county seat, and east 13 mi to Sibley.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Colfax has a total area of 0.55 sqmi, all land. The Mackinaw River, a west-flowing tributary of the Illinois River, crosses the southwest corner of the village. Colfax Creek, a tributary of the Mackinaw, flows through the middle of the village.

Founding
Colfax was laid out on March 22, 1880, by James E. Wood (1818 – 1908). Anderson was born in Indiana and had come to McLean County about 1855 as State Missionary for the Christian Church. He stayed and became a farmer, a banker, and a lifelong promoter of Colfax. To locals, Anderson was affectionately known as "Uncle Billy". The northeastern townships of the county were among the last to be served by railroads. After many false starts the Clinton, Bloomington, and Northwestern Railroad began making its way westward from Kankakee. It was aided by contributions in cash and land for the right-of-way by many local farmers. Cropsey, Anchor, and Cooksville were all laid out at the same time as Colfax. The first train arrived in Colfax on July 4, 1880. For two years the track extended only from Kankakee to Colfax, and a turntable was installed to send the trains back eastwards. Eventually the tracks were completed to Bloomington. The railroad soon became part of the Illinois Central system.

Colfax is one of several communities in the United States named for Schuyler Colfax, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives during the terms of Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson and Vice President during the Ulysses S. Grant presidency. Others communities include Colfax, California; Colfax, Indiana; Colfax, Louisiana; Colfax, North Carolina and Colfax, Washington.

Original design and early growth
The original town of Colfax was a rectangle on the north side of the railroad tracks. There were twelve blocks, each with eight or sixteen small lots, and an additional four blocks, each with a single larger lot, were located along the western edge of the original town, for a total of one hundred lots. These faced a widened area of railroad land, which ran the full length of the original town. No other public spaces were designated, but Main Street, which ran parallel to the tracks and one block to the north, was wider than the other streets. The depot was on the north side of the tracks, and the early elevator, lumber yard and stock yard were on the south side. William Rinker erected the first store, which sold groceries. Another grocery store, Wilson and Santee, followed. The third store was a somewhat larger two-story structure built by D.A. Green, who had moved his operation into Colfax from Potosi near the McLean County–Livingston County border. Green sold groceries, dry goods and drugs.

Coal mining
In 1886 a company was formed to open the first of two coal mines at Colfax. The first to be opened was the shaft just west of town. Frank Seymour and Sons were paid fourteen dollars a foot to sink the shaft. They encountered problems with water and cave ins and were soon slowed by the need to blast their way through limestone layers before reaching the coal seams. The railroad was unable to bring in sufficient shoring for the shaft, and additional timber had to be hauled in by wagon. At 140 ft they struck a narrow vein of coal, but excavators had to go down to 392 ft before finding a productive 5+1/2 ft seam of coal. Miners were brought in, and the first coal was taken in June 1888. Financial troubles and rapid changes of ownership soon followed. The organization of a company to open a second shaft, this one east of town, began in December 1891, but it was June 1894 before digging could begin.

The east shaft encountered great difficulties with water and with layers of quicksand. After many delays and extensive pumping, coal was found in 1895, but trouble with financing delayed production for two years. The 200 miners who flooded into Colfax encountered an acute shortage of housing, which was not solved until a large number of small miners' cottages could be built: a few of these may still be found in Colfax. Financial troubles quickly mounted. In May 1892 the east shaft had to be sold at auction. In 1901 and 1902 almost 60,000 tons of coal were being taken out of the mines, but increased difficulty with finances soon reduced production. Once the mines were opened, unions were organized and strikes followed. Mining at Colfax proved to be a deadly business; between 1889 and 1902 eleven miners died, most of them crushed by falling rock. The west shaft produced most of the coal, but was closed in 1904. This mine remained idle for many years until being briefly re-opened as a cooperative venture between 1921 and 1924. Eventually the abandoned shaft became a rubbish dump and was eventually filled.

Growth of the town
Once established, Colfax grew rapidly. In 1892 a tile factory was built in the northeast corner of town; as was often the case in central Illinois, the former tile factory grounds eventually became a small park. A cigar factory was built. About the same time, a small factory for the manufacture of tin cans started production. By 1888 Colfax had a newspaper, the Colfax Leader. Electric lights came in 1895. Four churches began soon after the town was founded: Christian, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic. William H. Anderson, who raised Standard Bred and Road Bred horses, had a half-mile horse track just east of town. After the mines closed, Colfax settled into a quieter life as the commercial hub of a prosperous grain-growing area. However, eastern McLean County has been an area of little population growth, and the population of Colfax, which peaked in 1900, has remained nearly unchanged since 1910.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 989 people, 395 households, and 253 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,829.4 PD/sqmi. There were 422 housing units at an average density of 780.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 99.09% White, 0.51% Native American, 0.20% from other races, and 0.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.42% of the population.

There were 395 households, out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 23.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $41,544, and the median income for a family was $50,500. Males had a median income of $31,875 versus $23,438 for females. The per capita income for the village was $17,993. About 0.8% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

title: Colfax, Illinois


text:
Cooksville, Illinois

Cooksville is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 157 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
Cooksville is in eastern McLean County, 18 mi east-northeast of Bloomington, the county seat. Illinois Route 165 touches the northwest part of the village leading west-southwest toward Bloomington and east-northeast 20 mi to Sibley.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Cooksville has a total area of 0.22 sqmi, all land. The village is in the watershed of the Mackinaw River, a west-flowing tributary of the Illinois River.

Founding
Cooksville was laid out under the name "Kochsville" on December 4, 1882, by Frederick Wilhelm Koch (1829 – 1900). Within a year of its founding the name was changed to Cooksville. Koch was a Bloomington real estate dealer. He was born in Westphalia, in what is now Germany, and arrived in the United States on November 6, 1854. Koch was in Bloomington by 1860. He sold thirty or forty lots near his home in west Bloomington, and this neighborhood soon became known as Kochsville, giving Koch the distinction of having two McLean County places named in his honor. Cooksville was founded when the Clinton, Bloomington and Northeastern Railroad was finished from Colfax to Bloomington; in 1880 the part of the railroad from Kankakee to Colfax had been finished, resulting in the 1880 founding of Cropsey, Anchor, and Colfax; but the remainder of the railroad was delayed for two years. The railroad was soon taken over by the Illinois Central and was sometimes known as the Bloomer Line. After requests for the grain elevators to join Alliance Grain, operator of the Bloomer Line, were denied, the tracks from Colfax to Cooksville were removed. This left road transportation as the only available method for grain.

Design and growth
Cooksville was incorporated in December 1901. The population of the village peaked in 1910 with 332 people. The design of the original town of Cooksville was a rectangle north of the tracks with the southern blocks slightly truncated because the railroad did not run exactly east and west. The original town contained about 55 lots. The depot was on the north side of the tracks and the two early elevators on the south side. Soon small additions were laid out south of the tracks and on the east side of the original town. In 1883 William G. Darnell established the first grain elevator in Cooksville. Harvey W. Crumbacker also moved to the town in 1883. He established a hardware store and in 1902 built a two-story brick building in the town.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 213 people, 91 households, and 64 families residing in the village. The population density was 917.9 PD/sqmi. There were 94 housing units at an average density of 405.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 99.53% White, 0.47% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.47% of the population.

There were 91 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.3% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males. For 20 years, Cooksville was home to Congressman Kath and his wife, Doris.

The median income for a household in the village was $41,094, and the median income for a family was $48,125. Males had a median income of $31,563 versus $23,594 for females. The per capita income for the village was $16,984. None of the families and 0.8% of the population were living below the poverty line.

Education
Cooksville is within Ridgeview School District.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Cooksville, Illinois


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Danvers, Illinois

Danvers is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,089 as of the 2020 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
Danvers is in western McLean County, 11 mi northwest of Bloomington, the county seat. Illinois Route 9 passes just south of the village, leading southeast 6 mi to Twin Grove and then on to Bloomington, and west 10 mi to Mackinaw.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Danvers has a total area of 0.80 sqmi, all land. It drains northwest toward the West Fork of Sugar Creek, a southwest-flowing stream within the Sangamon River watershed.

Origin
Danvers was laid out under the name of "Concord" on February 20, 1836, by Israel W. Hall (1799 - 1865) and Matthew Robb (1801 – 1870). The name Concord was given to the town by Hall after Concord, Massachusetts. A rival town, Wilkesborough, just over a mile to the east, was laid out by James O. Barnard on June 3 of the same year. Wilkesborough had 96 lots and a public square. Both towns were part of the great town founding surge in Illinois that peaked in 1836. Between 1835 and 1837 eight new towns and many additions were laid out in McLean County. At this time it was fairly common for two towns to be founded close to each other as they competed for the same locational advantage. In this case both towns were on the stage route from Bloomington to Peoria and Pekin. For several years it was unclear which town would be successful. Wilkesborough did quite well and by 1859 had 15 heads of family, but Concord had three times that number. Eventually it became clear that Concord would was the more successful place, but the people of Concord had to go to Wilkesborough to get their mail. By the late 1870s Wilkesborough had completely vanished.

Original design
Like many other new places laid out in the 1830s, the original plan of the new town was designed around a central public square. However, unlike most such places (for example, Lexington and LeRoy), the plat used at Concord showed with dashed lines how the streets which entered the public square midway along each side could be extended to meet at the center of the square. In effect, this unusual feature of the plan made it possible to subdivide the square into four smaller rectangles. This was soon done. One of these rectangles has always been a park, but the other three have been put to different civic uses, including locations for the library, fire station, water tower, and school gymnasium.

Early growth and change of name
The early growth of Danvers was extremely slow. Although both Hall and Robb lived in the area, neither was a resident of the town. The first building in Concord was erected in 1837 by Nicholas Conger, but Conger himself does not seem to have lived there. The first actual resident was Asa Rankin. Eventually a small mill was erected by Hobson and Havens. In the words of the 1879 county history, "For more than six years the place was nearly lifeless." In 1848 or 1849 a post office was established in Concord. Most of the early rural settlement around the new town was near Stout's Grove, which began just west of Concord, and for the first twenty years of the town's life the prairie to the north, east and south was used mainly as open grazing land.

In 1836 Illinois had no way of regulating town names and popular names were frequently repeated. There were at least two other places in Illinois named Concord. Therefore, in 1861, the name of the town was changed to Danvers. The new name was taken from the town of Danvers in Essex County, Massachusetts. During the late 1840s and early 1850s the town grew more rapidly. Danvers was incorporated as a village under a special charter on May 7, 1869.

Railroads and inter-urbans
In the late 1850s and 1860s, farmers began moving into the prairies around the newly renamed town, which became the center of an exceptionally productive agricultural district. It became clear that if Danvers was going to ship grain, a railroad was essential. In the 1850s the Illinois Central and the Chicago and Alton railroads had both passed through McLean County, but neither came close to Danvers. A town meeting was held and it was decided that Danvers would subscribe to $50,000 in railroad bonds. Many other communities in the state were taking similar action, something most of them came to regret: the bonds were quickly sold in Europe or the East, and the taxpayers of towns and townships were forced to pay for railroads that often provided indifferent service.

On November 25, 1869, a celebration was held in Danvers to hail the arrival of the first train. A great public picnic was held, and large amounts of chicken, oysters and coffee were consumed. Scheduled rail service would continue until December 1982, and the last special train stopped in Danvers in August 1984. In 1907 Danvers also became a stop on the electric interurban railroad. These tracks were laid along Exchange Street and passed through the center of the town. The Illinois Traction System operated long after similar electric railroads in other areas had closed. In 1942 the interurban tracks were threatened when the government scoured the country for surplus metal for war needs, but citizens protested that the electric railroad was vital to local people and saved great amounts of gasoline. Service on the interurban finally ended on February 21, 1953.

Later years
In 1870 the population of Danvers was 356. By 1900 it had climbed to 607 and by 1950 to 762. By 2000 it was over 1,100, meaning that unlike many similar places, the town had grown more rapidly than at any earlier period. Much of this increase in population was due to a substantial number of people who found the town a pleasant residential base when working in Bloomington-Normal or Peoria.

In the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Danvers was the home of Dr. F. J. Parkhurst's distinctive alcohol treatment facility, the Willowbark Institute. Beginning in 1880 the doctor sought to treat addiction to strong spirits by administering small amounts of alcohol, followed by a stiff dose of foul-tasting willowbark extract. Parkhurst's facility operated until about 1920 and was revived by others from 1935 to the early 1950s.

Danvers was also distinctive for its drift gas wells. During the last glacial epoch, vegetation was buried by ice-carried soil. Its decay produced gas that could be tapped in shallow wells and used for some domestic purposes. At one time there were more than seventy such wells in the Danvers area.

The village is currently home to a cooperative grain elevator, two bars, a bank, and a gas station.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,183 people, 426 households, and 328 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,368.6 PD/sqmi. There were 453 housing units at an average density of 524.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 97.89% White, 0.93% African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.76% of the population.

There were 426 households, out of which 45.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.4% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.8% were non-families. 19.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 32.3% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 34.4% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $52,647, and the median income for a family was $58,355. Males had a median income of $41,927 versus $28,098 for females. The per capita income for the village was $19,598. About 5.0% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.4% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Olympia North Elementary School is on the east side of the village. The building replaced the previous Danvers Elementary School in 2009.

title: Danvers, Illinois


text:
Downs, Illinois

Downs is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,201 at the 2020 census, up from 1,005 in 2010. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
Downs is in southern McLean County, 9 mi southeast of Bloomington, the county seat. U.S. Route 150 passes through the northeast side of the village, leading northwest to Bloomington and southeast 6 mi to Le Roy. Interstate 74 passes through the southwest side of the village, with access from Exit 142. I-74 leads northwest to Bloomington and southeast 40 mi to Champaign.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Downs has a total area of 3.00 sqmi, all land. Kickapoo Creek flows through the northwest side of the village, leading southwest to Salt Creek, a tributary of the Sangamon River, near Lincoln.

History
Downs was originally a small community known as "Delta", established by McLean County settlers in 1829. Previously, the area served as a trading post for the Kickapoo people. When the Indiana, Bloomington and Western Railway was built in 1869, several buildings were dismantled and reconstructed further south to put the town closer to the railroad. The town was then renamed "Priceville" in honor of John Price, a resident who owned the land near the tracks. In 1902, the town's name was changed to "Downs", after postal clerks commonly confused Priceville with the similarly-named Illinois town of Princeville. Downs is named for Lawson Downs, one of the area's pioneer settlers.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 776 people, 284 households, and 220 families residing in the village. The population density was 286.8 PD/sqmi. There were 301 housing units at an average density of 111.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 97.81% White, 0.90% African American, 0.13% Asian, 0.52% from other races, and 0.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.90% of the population. There were 284 households, out of which 43.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.8% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were non-families. 17.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 30.3% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 35.4% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years.

The median income for a household in the village was $53,750, and the median income for a family was $56,932. Males had a median income of $37,188 versus $27,308 for females. The per capita income for the village was $22,468. About 5.0% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over

As of 2010 the population was 1005. The racial and ethnic make-up of the population is 94.6% Non-Hispanic white, 1.7% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 2.2% two or more races and 0.9% Hispanic or Latino.

School
Most children in Downs attend the Tri-Valley schools which are part of District #3, offices located on Washington Street. The Tri-Valley schools are small, and the elementary, middle and high school are all located next to one another. All three schools have been recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education. At one time all classes were held in one building, which now is rundown. The football team won 2A state final in 2015.

title: Downs, Illinois


text:
El Paso, Illinois

El Paso is a city in Woodford and McLean counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 2,756 at the 2020 census. The Woodford County portion of El Paso is part of the Peoria Metropolitan Statistical Area.

El Paso is a small community in central Illinois that took on more characteristics of a highway community after the construction of Interstate 39, which supplanted the older alignment of U.S. Highway 51.

History
El Paso was founded by George Gibson and James Wathen. Gibson gave it the Spanish name El Paso, either after El Paso, Texas, or because of a nearby railroad junction.

Geography
El Paso is located in southeastern Woodford County at 40.73889°N, -89.01611°W (40.738800, -89.016034). A small portion of the city limits extends east along U.S. Route 24 into northern McLean County. US 24 leads east 15 mi to Interstate 55 in Chenoa and west 32 mi to Peoria. Interstate 39 crosses the west side of El Paso, with access from Exit 14 (US 24); the Interstate highway leads south 14 mi to Interstate 55 in Normal and north 45 mi to La Salle. Illinois Route 251 follows the former alignment of U.S. Route 51 through the center of El Paso, leading north 11 mi to Minonk and south 5 mi to Kappa.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, El Paso has a total area of 2.15 sqmi, all land. The city sits on high ground that drains north to the East Branch of Panther Creek and south to the headwaters of Wolf Creek. Both creek systems are south-flowing tributaries of the Mackinaw River and part of the Illinois River watershed.

Demographics
As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 2,695 people, 980 households, and 686 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,743.9 PD/sqmi. There were 1,022 housing units at an average density of 661.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 98.89% White, 0.15% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.22% from other races, and 0.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.71% of the population.

There were 980 households, out of which 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.9% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.6% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $47,745, and the median income for a family was $55,286. Males had a median income of $36,406 versus $25,174 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,730. About 1.6% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education
El Paso's school district, CUSD #11, is the product of a consolidation with the school district of Gridley, IL. CUSD #11's schools are split between El Paso and Gridley:
 * El Paso Gridley High School - Housing all of the high school students for the district
 * El Paso Gridley Junior High School - Housing all of the upper and lower levels of junior high (grades 5, 6, 7, and 8) students for the district
 * Centennial School - Housing all the grade 3 and 4 elementary students of the district
 * Jefferson Park - Housing all the preschool, kindergarten, and grade 1 and 2 elementary students of the district

Attractions

 * El Paso Public Library, a Carnegie library built in 1907
 * Archbishop Fulton John Sheen Spiritual Centre
 * El Paso Golf Club

Notable people

 * Chick Evans, college athletics coach; raised in El Paso
 * Byron Keith, actor, best known for recurring roles in Batman (TV series) and 77 Sunset Strip; born in El Paso
 * Fulton J. Sheen, Catholic archbishop and televangelist; born in El Paso
 * Elsa Swartz, composer and music educator; born in El Paso
 * Ryan Unzicker, racing driver; born in El Paso
 * Clifford J. Vogelsang, Illinois state senator, judge, and lawyer; born in El Paso

title: El Paso, Illinois


text:
Ellsworth, Illinois

Ellsworth is a village in Dawson Township, McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 184 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
Ellsworth is in eastern McLean County, 16 mi east of Bloomington, the county seat, and 9 mi north-northeast of Le Roy.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Ellsworth has a total area of 0.22 sqmi, all land.

Founding and original design
Ellsworth was laid out on December 6, 1871, by Jonathan H. Cheney (1833–1920), Almon Brigham Ives (1816–1887), and Oliver Ellsworth, whom the town was named after. Cheney was one of three sons of early McLean County settler Jonathan Cheney active in promoting the Lafayette Bloomington and Mississippi Railroad; when his brother, Haines Cheney, was in the Illinois Senate he had helped to arrange the charter of the railroad. Almon B. Ives was a Bloomington lawyer specializing in land law; both Cheney and Ives were on the board of directors of the new railroad. In 1876 the railroad was leased to the Lake Erie and Western Railroad and in 1879 was incorporated into that road. Construction began on the railroad in 1869. The new townsite occupied 40 acre on each side of the tracks. The plan of Ellsworth was almost identical to that of its neighbor, Arrowsmith. A 200 ft swath of railroad land cut the town into two almost equal parts. Most of the early commercial development was along Main Street south of the tracks. The depot was on the south side of the tracks, and the early elevator on the north side.

Selling of Ellsworth at auction
In November 1871 an advertisement appeared in the Bloomington Pantagraph saying that on November 8 an auction of 150 lots would be held at the site of the new town. The advertisement praised the fertility of the surrounding countryside and stressed that the farms were of moderate size. Readers were told that the new town would be the logical point for shipping grain. They were also told that by shipping from Ellsworth their grain would go through Toledo, Ohio, "avoiding the grain scalpers of Chicago." All interested people were to gather at the Illinois Central Depot in Bloomington at 9:00 in the morning. A free train would take them to the site of the new town. A free lunch would be provided, and Bloomington brewers Meyer and Wochner would provide the beer. Some two hundred people consumed 200 loaves of bread, 150 pounds of boiled ham, 60 barrels of cheese and a barrel of crackers. A. J. Wampler bought the first lot. Most lots sold at from forty to sixty-five dollars.

Development of Ellsworth
Many local merchants were attracted to the new town. John Campbell moved his store from Stumptown about 4 mi south of Ellsworth. Stumptown was soon totally abandoned. Edwards and Wampler moved their stock from a store in rural Blue Mound Township and were soon reported to be doing a thriving trade; Wampler became the first postmaster. Henry Vandervoort and Joseph Pierce opened a hardware store in 1873. August Flint had a wagon shop. The town founders donated "a good lot" for a church. In 1872 regular freight service began along the new railroad. Many new houses were built. Grain was soon being purchased and shipped. After a brief boom the population soon exceeded 200, but growth soon slowed.

Demographics
As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 271 people, 92 households and 72 families, residing in the village. The population density was 1145.7 PD/sqmi. There were 95 housing units at an average density of 401.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 94.10% White, 0.37% African American, 2.95% Native American, 1.11% from other races, and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.48% of the population.

There were 92 households, out of which 44.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.7% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.7% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.5% had someone living alone, who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.43.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 31.7% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $45,714 and the median income for a family was $53,333. Males had a median income of $32,237 versus $24,688 for females. The per capita income for the village was $18,439. None of the families and 1.5% of the population were living below the poverty line.

title: Ellsworth, Illinois


text:
Gridley, Illinois

Gridley is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,456 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The village of Gridley was founded in 1869 and named after General Asahel Gridley, a noted early Republican, land investor, political backer and client of Abraham Lincoln, and a descendant of a Colonel Gridley who served at the Battle of Lexington.

Geography
Gridley is located in northern McLean County, with its northern border the Livingston County line. U.S. Route 24 crosses the southern part of the village, leading west 7 mi to El Paso and east 8 mi to Chenoa. Gridley is about halfway between Interstate 39 to the west and Interstate 55 to the east. Bloomington, the McLean county seat, is 22 mi to the south. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Gridley has a total area of 1.23 sqmi, all land. It sits on a rise that drains south toward Buck Creek and northwest toward the East Branch of Panther Creek. Both streams run to the Mackinaw River, a west-flowing tributary of the Illinois River.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,411 people, 550 households, and 387 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,215.6 PD/sqmi. There were 569 housing units at an average density of 490.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 97.73% White, 0.28% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.14% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.71% of the population.

There were 550 households, out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.2% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 28.6% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $46,458, and the median income for a family was $51,908. Males had a median income of $36,818 versus $25,625 for females. The per capita income for the village was $19,752. About 5.9% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.

Founding
Gridley was laid out on November 25, 1856, by Thomas Carlyle (c. 1832 - ?) and George Washington Kent (1820–1901). After considering the names "Kent", "Carlyle", and "Gardner", for the governor of Massachusetts, it was decided to name the town for Bloomington banker, lawyer, and land developer Asahel Gridley (1810–1881). Both Carlyle and Thomas were working for Gridley at the time the town was founded, and two years after the town was laid out Gridley purchased all of it. Along with many other towns in central Illinois, the town was established when the Peoria and Oquawka Railroad crossed the state from west to east. The railroad soon became the Toledo Peoria and Western.

Original design and the "Depot Grounds"
At first glance the original town of Gridley looks like many towns laid out along new railroads built in central Illinois in the 1850s. In addition to the 100 ft strip granted to the railroad, there were long narrow rectangles on both the north and south sides of the tracks. In most cases these areas, usually labeled "Depot Grounds", have evolved into parks or been put to other public uses. At Gridley, half of the northern Depot Ground was dedicated as a long narrow "Public Square". The remaining "Depot Grounds" would soon cause problems for the town. The remainder of the town was a fairly conventional grid of north-south and east-west streets. There were 33 blocks, most containing ten or sixteen lots. The town grew quite rapidly. Gridley then surprised everyone by announcing that he was re-platting the entire town and subdividing the land near the railroad. He argued that although the plat did say "depot grounds" he had never actually dedicated the land to the railroad or to public use. By that time the railroad and private individuals had built on the railroad grounds and the people of Gridley had used them as a location for the town jail. Gridley asked the courts to eject other people from his land. The case known as Gridley v. Hopkins eventually worked its way up to the Illinois Supreme Court, which sustained Gridley but ultimately left the others with their buildings. It became an important legal precedent and left a long legacy of local bitterness toward Gridley.

Early development
The early growth of Gridley was rapid. On February 28, 1857, the first train arrived in Gridley. A small depot building was erected on the north side of the tracks. J.M. Mitchell built the first store on the corner just north of the depot. A small house and blacksmith shop was built south of the railroad. Charles Cochrane George Washington Kent, the town's co-founder, moved to Gridley. There was a brief setback in 1858 when a tornado swept through the town, damaging Cochrane's and Kent's house and twisting the newly laid rails, but growth quickly resumed. Kent built the first grain elevator. He then enlisted in the Union Army, serving first as sergeant and then lieutenant. Upon his return he guided the town through additional growth; among other things he dug up trees along the Mackinaw River and hauled them to town where they were planted in public square. In 1884 Fred Donner established a tile factory. It was first incorporated as a town under a special charter. By 1900 the town had a population of 735.

Fire of 1901
On Saturday, May 4, 1901, a fire destroyed most of downtown Gridley. The afternoon of May 3 had been hot and windy. At 3:40 in the afternoon smoke was seen rising from the alley behind Cohn's store. There had been a serious fire in July 1891, and the town seemed well prepared, with several cisterns and a dedicated force of volunteer fire fighters. Soon stores along both sides of Center Street were engulfed in flame. Water was pumped from several cisterns and then hoses were run to the flooded pit of the tile factory. All of the able bodied people in town, and many from the surrounding countryside, joined in the fire fighting effort. The state bank and many other structures burned to the ground. A message was telegraphed to Peoria for help, but before it could arrive the blaze had subsided. Damage was estimated at $100,000, a severe blow for a small town. Rebuilding quickly began.

Later history
Until the third decade of the twentieth century, Gridley had been a railroad town; in the early 1920s six passenger trains in both directions served the town. Then, in June 1924, the newly paved Route 8, today US-24, was opened. The hard road quickly destroyed rail passenger traffic. In 1925 it was announced that the depot would be closed on Sundays. In 1929 all passenger traffic ended. One of the more tragic episodes in Gridley's history took place on September 3, 1946. Striking railway workers had attempted to shut down the Toledo Peoria and Western Railroad. In response the railroad loaded a train with fourteen workers and four armed guards who were tasked with keeping the tracks open. Striking workers followed the train in automobiles, driving along U.S. Route 24, which paralleled the tracks. Whenever the train slowed it was pelted with rocks. At Gridley the train stopped and a gun battle erupted. When it was over, two workers were dead and three were wounded. A jury later found that the guards were acting in self-defense, and were therefore innocent. However, for the most part Gridley was peaceful, with a flourishing civic life. The Fourth of July was celebrated with races. There were Saturday night band concerts in the park, which by the 1940s had given way to free movies. Many recreational improvements were made. For example, in 1937 the old clay pits from the tile factory were bought by the town for use as a skating rink, and in 2001 the Gridley Telephone Museum opened.

Notable people

 * Wilbur J. Cash (1887-1956), banker, farmer, and politician; born in Gridley
 * Helen F. Holt (1913–2015), Secretary of State of West Virginia; born and raised in Gridley
 * Lynn C. Sieberns (1889-1962), member of the Illinois Senate from 1933 to 1941

title: Gridley, Illinois


text:
Heyworth, Illinois

Heyworth is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1859. As of the 2020 census, Heyworth had a population of 2,791. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
Heyworth was laid out by Campbell Wakefield on September 11, 1859. Before settlement, the locality now known as Heyworth was covered by a heavy growth of timber and underbrush which was inhabited by the Kickapoo Native Americans, and supported a great number of deer, wild turkeys, and packs of large gray wolves.

As settlers began to move West, families such as the Rutledges, Funks, Passwaters, Bishops, Nobles, Wakefields, and Martens settled in the immediate vicinity of the present village of Heyworth as early as 1824. Campbell Wakefield was the primary founder of Heyworth. In the course of his achievements, Wakefield became the owner of a vast tract of land including what is now Heyworth. He continually added to his original tract until he obtained about 1500 acre in one plot.

As the population of the region increased and industries began to spring up, railroads were becoming a great advantage. In 1852 and 1853, the Illinois Central Railroad was constructed through the Wakefield land. When the line became operational in 1855, the residents hoped to put a train station in the vicinity. Many property owners vied for the station, but Wakefield immediately donated a large tract of land for the station. Additionally he set aside adjacent land for the foundation of a town, a Presbyterian church, and a district school.

The first post office was built in the municipality in 1856, when the new station was opened. The station was named "Elmwood", but it was soon discovered that this name was already taken by a locality in Peoria County. The president of the Illinois Central Railroad proposed calling the new station "Heyworth", after Lawrence Heyworth, an English director of the railroad.

After the establishment of the station, Campbell Wakefield made several donations to encourage trade and induce businessmen to locate in the new town. He became the proprietor of the new town, and the village of Heyworth was incorporated on March 31, 1869.

Geography
Heyworth is in southern McLean County and is served by two U.S. highways. U.S. Route 51 passes through the west side of Heyworth as a four-lane divided highway, leading north 12 mi to Bloomington, the county seat, and south the same distance to Clinton. U.S. Route 136 passes through the village center, leading east 43 mi to Rantoul and west 10 mi to McLean.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Heyworth has a total area of 3.39 sqmi, of which 3.33 sqmi are land and 0.06 sqmi, or 1.86%, are water. Kickapoo Creek passes through the western part of the village, flowing southwest to Salt Creek and then the Sangamon River, a tributary of the Illinois River.

Demographics
As of the census of 2007, there were 2,547 people,(+3.1% from 2000), 898 households, and 687 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,573.6 PD/sqmi. There were 956 housing units at an average density of 618.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 97.82% White, 0.16% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.62% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.82% of the population.

There were 898 households, out of which 42.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.0% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.4% were non-families. 19.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 31.0% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $53,043, and the median income for a family was $60,648. Males had a median income of $40,944 versus $26,708 for females. The per capita income for the village was $20,655. About 2.9% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.

Economy and services
While railroads brought growth during the 19th century, growth today is driven by recession-resistant business expansion occurring primarily in Bloomington–Normal, located 12 mi north of Heyworth on U.S. Route 51.

Community services include local police protection, a volunteer fire department, local 24-hour ambulance service which will soon have paid paramedics on staff, local schools from kindergarten through grade 12, and several churches of various denominations. The annual Hey Days celebration in May features a carnival, food and live entertainment. Christmas is celebrated with the "Holidays Heyworth Style" parade and craft show.

OSF Primary Care, a medical clinic operated by the OSF Healthcare System under the auspices of OSF St. Joseph's Medical Center in Bloomington, opened in January 2010. The facility provides in-town healthcare access to Heyworth residents for the first time since 1989.

Schools
Heyworth Elementary School services grades Pre K - 6. The school is located at 100 S. Joselyn St.

Heyworth Jr/Sr High School services grades 7 - 12. The school is located at 308 W. Cleveland St. The Junior High offers the following sports for students: Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Volleyball, Track and Wrestling. The Senior High offers the following sports and activities for students: Basketball, Football, Golf, Soccer, Volleyball, Baseball, Softball, Track, Cheerleading, Marching Band, Speech, Wrestling, and FFA.

title: Heyworth, Illinois


text:
Hudson, Illinois

Hudson is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,753 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
Hudson is located in northwestern McLean County at 40.60572°N, -88.98712°W. Interstate 39 passes along the western boundary of the village, with access from Exit 5. I-39 leads south 5 mi to Normal and north 9 mi to El Paso.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Hudson has a total area of 0.82 sqmi, all land.

Origin and naming
Hudson was laid out by Horatio Petit on August 13, 1836. It was one of eight towns founded in McLean County during the great real estate boom that swept through central Illinois between 1835 and 1837. It also shares the distinction of being one of two "colonial" settlements in the county; the other was the Rhode Island colony in the southwestern part of the county. Traditional sources say that the town was named for the town of Hudson in Columbia County, New York, which, so it was said, was the home of its early settlers. However, in her book on the Hudson Colony, Ruth Biting Hamm has pointed out that, while some settlers were from Queens County, New York, none came from near the town of Hudson. She suggests that it is more likely town was simply named for the Hudson River.

The Illinois Land Association
Hudson was created by the Illinois Land Association, who developed it as what was then called a colony. Colonial schemes such as this were popular in the 1830s. Rather than settlers migrating individually and buying land on their own, participants in a colony would band together, pool their money, and appoint a committee to select a large tract of land, which would then be divided among the participants. Such colonial developments do not imply that the group had any common social or religious agenda. Sometimes, the people involved came from a single area, but often, as was the case in Hudson, they were clusters of individuals who had no connection forming the colony: several of the founders of Hudson were from New York, but others were from Maine, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Illinois.

The Illinois Land Association was formed in February 1836 in Jacksonville. Each participant would contribute $235 to the common pool and would receive four kinds of property: three lots in the main part of the town; one out lot (see below); 160 acre of prairie land for farming; and 20 acre of timber for fences, firewood, and building material. The association also anticipated a profit from the sale of untaken land, which would be shared among the participants. An executive committee selected the land, supervised the laying out of the town, and presided over the drawing of lots to select the division of the property.

Original town design
The 1836 plan of the town of Hudson was interesting in several respects. First, most central Illinois towns of the 1830s were laid around a central public square, but Hudson had none. Second, the town of Hudson had both "in lots" - and "out lots". The "in lots" formed the core of Hudson and were standard blocks of lots like any other town. These were surrounded by a ring of "out lots", which were slightly larger, but still part of the original town plan. At Hudson the "out lots" differ in size. The tradition of in and out lots goes back for centuries in New England, where farmers were reluctant to consign their livestock to locations far removed from the town center.

These "out lots" should not be confused with the far larger tracts of farming land that were also assigned to each settler. It is unclear why this out-of-date design should have been adopted at Hudson. The original town contained 30 blocks of "in lots", each of which contained eight lots; because each participant received several lots, the houses in the older part of town even today are often much more widely spaced than in other towns founded at the same date. Broadway was designed as the main street of Hudson, and because of this was 120 ft wide, while other streets were only 80 ft wide. Eventually the "in lots" and the "out lots" came to be used in much the same way, as residential building sites.

Development
Immediately after its founding Hudson fell on hard times. In 1837 the land market turned sour, settlement slowed, and Illinois sank into a deep depression. The organizers of the colony found that they were unable to purchase the intended 20 acre of timber for each settler; earlier settlers had already purchased most of the available woodland. A few families received up to 20 acre, but most were only given only 2.5 acre; too little to supply their needs. Disputes arose concerning the division of profits from land sales. The number of settlers was fewer than expected. Only about twenty families moved onto the colony's land.

They did manage to build a number of substantial frame houses. There was a nearby school and two churches, but the townsfolk had little business. All of this changed in 1854 when the Illinois Central Railroad passed just west of Hudson. Business increased, many unoccupied lots were taken up, and a new commercial district developed along what had been "out-lots" along the west side of the town facing the railroad. Some old traditions continued. Early in its history, Hudson, following an ancient New England custom, had created the office of village herdsman. It was his job, at 6:00 in the morning, to walk the town streets, gather cattle from Hudson, and drive them out to pasture beyond the town limits; remarkably this job continued until 1913.

Growth continues
With the arrival of the railroad, the success of the town of Hudson was assured. The surrounding tallgrass prairie proved to be some of the most fertile agricultural land in the world. Initially the crops were corn and oats, produced together with a great deal of livestock. In the 1850s and 1860s settlers came in great numbers. By the mid-twentieth century livestock production had slowly begun to decline and soybeans had replaced oats as a second crop, but the great fertility of the soil remained. Hudson's growth was slow but steady. In 1873 the town was incorporated. By 1883 telephone service had come to the town, and in 1912 the first electric lights were installed. In 1916 a new town hall was built. In the late twentieth century, because of its proximity to Bloomington and Normal, Hudson was becoming increasingly popular as a residential community. In 1992 Interstate 39 was completed, connecting Hudson with El Paso and Normal.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,510 people, 507 households, and 432 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,272.1 PD/sqmi. There were 519 housing units at an average density of 780.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 98.48% White, 0.07% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.40% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.06% of the population.

There were 507 households, out of which 50.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.9% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.6% were non-families. 12.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 33.2% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 37.1% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 6.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $62,632, and the median income for a family was $65,703. Males had a median income of $45,385 versus $29,659 for females. The per capita income for the village was $22,141. About 1.8% of families and 1.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * Ben Corbett (1892-1961), film actor known mainly for westerns; born in Hudson
 * Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915), known for his essay "A Message of Garcia" and founding the Roycroft community; grew up in Hudson and died in the sinking of the RMS Lusitania
 * Melville Elijah Stone (1848–1929), journalist, owner of the Chicago Daily News, general manager of the Associated Press (1893–1918)

title: Hudson, Illinois


text:
Le Roy, Illinois

Le Roy (also styled "LeRoy") is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,512 at the 2020 census.

Geography
Le Roy is located at 40.34722°N, -88.76222°W (40.347168, -88.762293).

According to the 2010 census, Le Roy has a total area of 2.336 sqmi, of which 2.32 sqmi (or 99.32%) is land and 0.016 sqmi (or 0.68%) is water.

Founding of LeRoy
LeRoy was laid out on 28 November 1835 by Asahel Gridley (26 April 1810 – 25 January 1881) and Merritt L. Covell (30 January 1808 – 17 September 1847). The founders were Bloomington businessmen. They had served together in the Black Hawk War, Covell as a captain and Gridley as a lieutenant. Because of their brief service both men were popularly called "General". Both would later serve in the Illinois General Assembly, and Gridley would eventually become McLean County's first millionaire.

LeRoy was the first of eight towns to be laid out within the present boundaries of McLean County during the great Illinois town-founding boom which peaked in the summer of 1836. LeRoy was located on a low mound, on prairie land, where the Bloomington to Danville state road crossed the road from Shelbyville to Chicago. The chief problem confronting Gridley and Covell was a place called Munroe, which consisted of a single store run by John W. Baddeley (24 June 1794 – 19 February 1871). It was located a mile and a half southwest of the new town. Although generally said to have been laid out in 1834 or 1836, no plat of the town has yet been found. Baddeley had been born in Whitchurch, Shropshire, England, and had come to the United States with his family in 1832. He had quickly entered a thousand acres (4 km$2$) of land in Empire Township and seemed on his way to becoming a wealthy and important man. Baddeley was offered twenty-seven prime lots in LeRoy if he would move his store to the newly established town. Baddeley agreed. He lost most of his fortune in 1837 but continued to do business in LeRoy for many years.

Original design of the town
Like most Central Illinois towns of the 1830s LeRoy was built around a central "Public Circle". The circle at LeRoy featured streets which joined the public area midway along each side and is very similar to squares platted at Mt. Hope, Danvers, and Lexington. Except for some rounding at the corners to ease the flow of traffic, the square today retains its 1835 shape. Gridley and Covell's "Original Town" contained twenty-five blocks, almost all with eight lots, for a total of 196 lots. Early commercial growth was along Center Street just east of the square, and this has continued to be the commercial heart of the town. The original street names selected for LeRoy are virtually identical to those in the town of Lexington, which Gridley also co-founded: Center, Cedar, Cherry, Chestnut, East, Elm, Main North, Oak, Pine, Vine, Walnut and West. Unlike Lexington, LeRoy has no South Street.

First advertisement
In November 1835 Gridley and Covell set about selling lots in their new town. They published a lengthy advertisement in the Sangamon Journal which is both the earliest description of LeRoy and a statement of why the two men had selected this location for a town. It begins with the bold heading "Town of Leroy". The reader is first told that Leroy was located on the north side of Buckle's Grove on Salt Creek. The crossing of the two roads is noted along with being 16 mi east of Bloomington. "The site of the town is as beautiful as can well be conceived – situated on the margin of a rolling undulating prairie on an eminence gently descending in every direction and commanding an extensive view of the surrounding country, with an open expanse of prairie scenery on the north and west relieved by occasional groves of timber. No situation can well surpass it for beauty." They go on to write that LeRoy is "... located in the heart of a rich and flourishing settlement with a large amount of timber of quality inferior to none in the state in its immediate vicinity... it is believed that no interior town possesses superior advantages." Several excellent mill sites were located nearby. The advertisement concludes, "A further description is deemed unnecessary, as all who wish to make investments will doubtless visit it previous to investing." Unlike many ads of the period, the date and time of the auction of town lots is not given. Later sources relate that the lots sold well, "the bidding was spirited, and some of them sold at a high price."

Early development of the town
The early growth of LeRoy was slow, but the town did better than many other towns laid out in the 1830s. Only three of the eight McLean County towns laid out during the 1830s boom still survive—Danvers, LeRoy, and Lexington. During the fall of 1836, several log cabins were built in the town and Edgar Conkling erected a frame store. Gridley persuaded Hiram Buck to move to LeRoy and establish a hotel; in 1838 Buck became Post Master. In 1836 Conkling and a partner laid out a vast new addition to the town that tripled its size. The first mill, built by Elisha Gibbs on the south side of the town, burned in 1844. Buckles and Farmer responded by building a second mill that also burned. The first large brick commercial building was built for T. J. Barnett in 1858 at a cost of $3,000. By 1850, LeRoy had established itself as the second largest town in the county. It was incorporated as a town in 1853 and as a city 10 August 1874.

Railroad era
After the Civil War, the citizens of LeRoy were convinced that only a railroad could assure the prosperity of their town, and they took the lead in campaigning for what would eventually become the Indiana, Bloomington and Western Railway. In 1866 a meeting was held in LeRoy to generate support for the railroad. The following year, by a vote of 202 to 6, they voted to tax themselves to help pay for the railroad. Eventually they would subscribe $75,000 in bonds to the railroad. The railroad would pass through the southwest corner of the original town, with the depot located five blocks west of the square in Block 44 of Conkling's Addition. On 1 May 1870 the first train steamed into town. Disappointment quickly followed. The bonds were promptly hypothecated, that is, used as security to borrow money. In practice this meant that the citizens of LeRoy still had to pay each year, but had no say in the running of the railroad. The new railroad found itself in deep legal and financial trouble. Service was poor and rates exorbitant. Rather than simply complain, the people of LeRoy decided to build their own railroad. The narrow gauge railway was begun in 1876. It ran down the center of Oak Street eastward to Rantoul, in Champaign County, where it joined the Illinois Central. The idea was to bring down freight rates by providing competition for the I.B. & W. Much of the labor was done by local people. Local people called it the "Pumpkin Vine", a popular folk name for any small railroad, also applied to several railroads in Indiana. The railroad was eventually sold to the Illinois Central and widened to standard gauge. It never carried a great deal of traffic, but was the object of a great deal of local pride.

In the twentieth century
By 1900, LeRoy had two newspapers, four churches, one hotel, two grain elevators, three doctors, three lawyers, and twenty-five stores. Its population was 1,629. Slowly LeRoy ceased to be a railroad town. Passenger service on the "pumpkin vine" ended in 1931. Passenger service on the railroad between Bloomington and Urbana ended in 1957. The depot in LeRoy was torn down in 1967, and the last train ran in 1980. Soon after that the tracks were torn up. In the early 1970s, Interstate 74 was completed and new businesses began to develop near the highway exit. Population growth between 1900 and 1950 growth was slow, just under twelve percent. However, by the end of the century the population of LeRoy had more than doubled as the town increasingly became a residential center for both Bloomington–Normal and Champaign–Urbana.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,332 people, 1,300 households, and 920 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,500.3 PD/sqmi. There were 1,367 housing units at an average density of 615.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 99.21% White, 0.06% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.27% from other races, and 0.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population.

There were 1,300 households, out of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.2% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $45,781, and the median income for a family was $53,986. Males had a median income of $35,784 versus $27,450 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,743. About 0.6% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.

Recreation
LeRoy maintains several parks and playgrounds as well as the Replex, a community recreation center (indoor and outdoor pools, weight room, gymnasium, and meeting rooms). Every August, LeRoy hosts the annual LeRoy Fall Festival.

Notable people

 * Tim Hendryx, outfielder for the Cleveland Naps, New York Yankees, St. Louis Browns and Boston Red Sox
 * Bret Iwan, current voice of Mickey Mouse; attended Le Roy High School 1996-2000
 * John Allen Sterling, U.S. Representative 1903–13, 1915–18; born in Le Roy
 * Betty Jane Watson, actress

title: Le Roy, Illinois


text:
Lexington, Illinois

Lexington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,090 at the 2020 census. There are two theories regarding the etymology of the city name. One says it was named for the Battle of Lexington, where General Gridley's father fought. and the other that it was named for the home town of James Brown, the town's co-founder.

Origin and original town design
Lexington was laid out on 4 January 1836 by Asahel Gridley (1810–1881) and James Brown (c. 1802- ?). Gridley was a lawyer and banker from Bloomington who would eventually become the richest man in McLean County; Brown was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and Lexington, Illinois, seems to have been his only attempt at founding a town. Its founding was part of a great real estate boom that swept across the nation. Within a few months of the founding of the town seven other new towns were laid out in McLean County: Concord (now Danvers), Hudson, Le Roy, Livingston, Lytleville, Mt. Hope and Wilksborough. In common with other towns founded during the 1836 boom, and unlike many later towns, Lexington was designed around a central public square with streets running true north-south and east-west. In the case of Lexington, the original town consisted of 36 blocks, each containing six lots. Like most of the towns of the 1836 era the town was built along the line that divided woodland from prairie; the southeast corner of the town was just within the limits of timber. Like most Mackinaw River towns, Lexington was laid out on higher ground some distance from the river itself.

First advertisement and sale of town lots
Gridley and Brown first offered lots in the town for sale at a public auction on 30 April 1836 at 10:00 in the morning. They began their printed advertisement for the sale by telling readers that the town was on the main road from Springfield, via Bloomington, to Chicago and that their new town was a mile from the Mackinaw River. They wrote that Lexington "is located on the margin of a fine rolling prairie, near a large and inexhaustible body of the best timber the country affords, sufficient to justify the immense settlement already being made." They told potential buyers that there were two saw mills and a fulling mill nearby. Moreover, they added, building had already begun. For those with good security, one twelve months credit was available.

The pre-railroad era
Between 1837 and 1854 the survival of Lexington was in doubt. The great land rush that peaked in 1836 gave way to a severe lengthy national depression. True to their word, Gridley and Brown had begun some construction. Their first structure was used as a store, but in less than a year the business had failed and the building was hauled away to Bloomington. The first house was briefly occupied, but it was soon moved to the rival town of Clarksville, which was located a few miles downstream. No one was certain exactly what route the Springfield-to-Chicago road would take. Clarksville tried to attract the road by building a bridge across the Mackinaw River and the 1840 town of Pleasant Hill, which had been established just upstream from Lexington, was doing its best to attract traffic. The county began to demand taxes on the large number of unsold lots in the town; by the early 1850s over 300 Lexington lots were offered for sale to satisfy unpaid taxes. The town square was used for grazing cattle. Yet some continued to believe in the new town. Jacob Spawr (1802–1902) had moved into Lexington a year after the store had departed. He built a house of a type known as a double log pen, a dog trot, or sometimes two-pens-and-a-passage: essentially it was nothing more than two log cabins facing each other with a common roof. This building served as dwelling, post office and tavern. Because Lexington was halfway between the county seats of Pontiac and Bloomington, Spawr's house provided a convenient stopping place: Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas were frequent guests. In the 1850 United States Census Spawr's occupation is listed as "landlord". By 1854 it was estimated that there were only about a dozen families in Lexington.

The railroad comes to Lexington
On 4 July 1854 the railroad, which would soon be known as the Chicago and Alton, reached Lexington. Suddenly everything changed. A grain warehouse which had been built by Thomas Kincaid was hauled across the tracks, given a passenger platform, and put to use as a railroad station. Dawson and McCurdy built a grain elevator. Three denominations erected churches. The town formed its own government; their first act was to buy up the stock of the two local whiskey sellers and pour the contents of the bottles into the mud of Main Street. The Mahan brothers built a downtown windmill. A new hotel was built. Lexington boomed. By 1865 the first brick block had been erected. On 21 November 1860, the train brought Abraham Lincoln to Lexington, where he spoke a few words of goodbye to his old friends; on 2 May 1865, just before noon, another train passed through Lexington, this one holding Lincoln's body.

People v. Chicago and Alton Railroad Company
The town of Lexington soon became the focus of a case that would change American legal history. Soon after railroads began servicing the Midwest, it became evident that, if a railroad could unilaterally set its own freight rates, it could soon drain most of the wealth from nearby farmers. The result, in Illinois, was a new state constitution that in 1870 gave the government a role in setting railroad and warehouse rates; the wording and legal arguments behind this part of the new constitution was the work of Bloomington lawyer Ruben M. Benjamin (1833–1917). A test case was needed, and Benjamin settled on Lexington. The Chicago and Alton Railroad only charged four dollars and thirty five cents to ship 1000 board feet of lumber from Chicago to Bloomington, but asked for five dollars to ship the same amount of lumber the shorter distance from Chicago to Lexington. In 1871 Benjamin brought suit against the railroad. The railroad responded that it was forced to charge less to ship lumber to Bloomington because there was more competition there than at Lexington. The case worked its way up to the United States Supreme Court where People v. The Chicago and Alton Railroad Company became part of the celebrated Granger Cases, named for the Granges of the Patrons of Husbandry, a group that had argued for rate regulation. These cases, at least for a time, established the right of governments to regulate corporations.

President Roosevelt comes to Lexington
Of all the events in the history of Lexington, perhaps the best remembered was the day President Theodore Roosevelt came to town. By the afternoon of 15 July 1902, a crowd of twenty thousand people had gathered near the Chicago and Alton tracks. A long grandstand had been erected and covered in red, white and blue. The Chief Executive and hero of San Juan Hill shook hands with the reception committee, but declined to leave the train. Roosevelt gave a brief but rousing talk from the observation platform at the back of the train. The crowd roared its approval. It was the only time a sitting president had visited the town.

Lexington and Route 66
Transportation was always the key to the success of Lexington. The city got its start as a rest stop on the Chicago Trail, which was part of the larger Pontiac Trail between Chicago and St. Louis. The very first mention of Lexington's name in the press in 1836 included mention of the town's location on the stagecoach road between Springfield and Chicago. Lexington's success as a town was later assured when it became a railroad station between Springfield and Chicago. During the twentieth century, rail traffic slowly declined and was replaced by road traffic. By World War II, only two trains a day stopped at Lexington, and all passenger traffic by rail ended in 1946.

In 1915, a paved road along the former stagecoach route, which almost exactly paralleled the Chicago and Alton Railroad rail line, reached Lexington. This paved road was known as State Bond Route 4 or SBI 4, and it followed the Pontiac Trail between Chicago and St. Louis. In November 1926, there was a general renumbering of state highways following the creation of the U.S. Route System, and Route 4 became Route 66. For the next 50 years, Lexington was a popular stopping point on this famous American road. In 1955, U.S. Route 66 was locally widened to four lanes, as a partially divided highway with a grass median between the northbound and southbound lanes along much of its stretch. U.S. Route 66 served the community until 1978, when Interstate 55, which also closely paralleled the old highway, was opened to traffic and Route 66 was thereafter decertified. However, near Lexington, much of the old highway may still be driven, as the 1955 roadbed of the southbound lanes was retained as a two-lane county road (the disused northbound lanes remain nearby).

Schools and sports
John Patton Log Cabin and the Lexington Community Unit School District 7 campus, including Lexington High School, are located in Lexington

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Lexington has a total area of 1.33 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,912 people, 760 households, and 550 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,820.3 PD/sqmi. There were 803 housing units at an average density of 764.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 98.95% White, 0.10% African American, 0.21% Native American, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.42% of the population.

There were 760 households, out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.4% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.9% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $46,146, and the median income for a family was $54,336. Males had a median income of $40,031 versus $24,917 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,898. About 3.1% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

Lexington was laid out on 4 January 1836 By Asahel Gridley and James Brown.

Notable people

 * Alice Ambrose, (1906–2001) philosopher at Smith College 1964–1972
 * Gilbert L. Deavers, (1931–2006), born in Lexington; Illinois state representative, teacher, and businessman
 * Odus Creamer Horney, U.S. Army brigadier general
 * Ed Kinsella, (1880–1976) MLB pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Browns
 * William R. Roy, (1926–2014) congressman from Kansas 1971–1975
 * Arthur J. Scrogin (1853–1926), born in Lexington, Illinois state representative and farmer
 * Joseph L. Settles, (1871–1943) one of the founding fathers of Tau Kappa Epsilon
 * John A. Sterling, (1857–1918), born in Lexington, congressman 1903–1913 and 1915–1918
 * Alex Tanney, (1987), football coach and former professional quarterback.

title: Lexington, Illinois


text:
McLean, Illinois

McLean is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 743 at the 2020 census, down from 830 in 2010. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area. McLean is the home of the Dixie Travel Plaza.

Geography
McLean is in southwestern McLean County. Interstate 55 passes through the east side of the village, with access from Exit 145 (U.S. Route 136). I-55 leads northeast 15 mi to Bloomington, the county seat, and southwest 16 mi to Lincoln. US 136 (Dixie Road) runs along the south edge of the village center and leads east 10 mi to Heyworth and west 23 mi to San Jose.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, McLean has a total area of 1.18 sqmi, all land.

Founding
The village of McLean was laid out on June 22, 1855, by Franklin Price (1821 - 1908). Price was born in Chester Valley, Pennsylvania, and was the brother-in-law of Bloomington real estate developer Kersey Fell. Price came to Bloomington in 1849; he worked as a clerk and newspaper writer and was elected mayor of Bloomington in 1855 and again in 1856, serving until 1858. Price never lived in the new town he founded.

McLean was laid out when the Alton and Springfield Railroad, soon to become the Alton Railroad, was first built through McLean County. The nearby towns of Atlanta, Normal, and Towanda were laid out at the same time as McLean. There had been an earlier attempt to found a town nearby.

Mt. Hope, two miles east of McLean, was established in 1836 by the Providence Farmers and Mechanics Emigrating Society of Rhode Island. The colony and its town were not a success; only three settlers actually arrived in McLean County. When the town of McLean was founded, the church building from Mt. Hope was moved into McLean. The first residents of McLean were the brothers G.L. and F.A. Wheelock, railroad employees, who moved into the new station house to conduct business. A blacksmith shop was the first business, and H.H. Dillon built the first warehouse.

McLean was incorporated as a village on May 29, 1866. By 1900, it had grown to a population of 532.

Original town design
The design of the original town of McLean remains almost unaltered to this day from the original plans. The design was similar to other places along the Alton and Springfield Railroad, including Normal, Towanda, Odell, and Dwight. The original town was basically a square with streets aligned north–south and east–west, split diagonally by the railroad with a line of lots paralleling either side of the tracks.

As in other towns along the same railroad, there was a widened rectangular area paralleling the tracks labeled "Depot Grounds". In the case of McLean, the depot grounds were laid out only on the southeast side of the railroad. The triangle of land on the northwest side, between the lots paralleling the railroad and remainder of the town, was designated as a public property and is still used as a park. The comparable triangle on the opposite side of the tracks was unlabeled, and its intended use is unclear. This same arrangement of public land was followed at the village of Towanda.

McLean was distinctive in that there were no streets between the diagonal line of lots along the tracks. Perhaps because of this, much of the business district developed along Morgan Street, which ran east–west just north of the park, or along Hamilton Street, which ran north–south, just west of the park. The line of lots paralleling the tracks and southeast of the railroad became the location of the hotel and the town jail. Later additions on the east side of the town featured additional lots which parallel the railroad, as well as more conventional blocks.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 808 people, 314 households, and 248 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,874.1 PD/sqmi. There were 330 housing units at an average density of 765.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 97.90% White, 0.74% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.62% Asian, and 0.62% from two or more races.

There were 314 households, out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.0% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.0% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 26.7% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $47,337, and the median income for a family was $52,614. Males had a median income of $37,059 versus $27,589 for females. The per capita income for the village was $19,200. About 1.2% of families and 0.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Local attractions

 * Dixie Travel Plaza

title: McLean, Illinois