Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Timeline of Vermilion County, Illinois history

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This article is a timeline of Vermilion County, Illinois history.

Contents

1800s

  • 1809 – The Illinois Territory is formed.

    • 1810s

  • 1818 December 3 – Illinois is admitted to the Union.
  • 1819 November – Salt Springs becomes the first European settlement in what is to become Vermilion County.

    • 1820s

  • 1826 January 18 – Vermilion County is created.
  • 1826 March – The county is divided into two townships, Carroll in the south and Ripley in the north.
  • 1826 – James Haworth plats the town of Georgetown.
  • 1827 January – Salt Springs, at the mouth of the North Fork of the Vermilion River, is made the county seat.
  • 1827 January 31 – The future site of Danville is identified as the new county seat.
  • 1827 April 10 – Lots in the new town of Danville go on sale.
  • 1827 May – Post office at Danville opens in the home of Amos Williams.
  • 1828 – Post office at Georgetown opens.

    • 1830s

  • 1833 – Champaign County is founded to the west, taking a strip ten miles wide from the west side of Vermilion County.
  • 1833 – Iroquois County is founded to the north, and Vermilion County is extended by 6 miles on the north side.
  • 1835 – Daniel Beckwith (after whom Danville was named) dies of pneumonia following a horseback ride from Washington.
  • 1837 – The town of Franklin is founded near the future site of Bismarck, but only lasts a few years.
  • 1838 September 17–20 – The Potawatomi Trail of Death camps at Sandusky Point near what became the town of Catlin.
  • 1839 – Post office at the future site of Rossville opens.

    • 1840s

  • 1843 – The town of Myersville is founded near the future site of Bismarck.

    • 1850s

  • 1851 – Vermilion County is divided into eight townships: Danville, Georgetown, Elwood, Carroll, Ross, Middlefork, Newell (first called Richland), and Pilot.
  • 1851 – B. E. Conkey founds Conkeytown.
  • 1856 – Blount Township is created.
  • 1857 – Mann's Chapel is constructed south of the future site of Rossville.
  • 1858 – Catlin Township is created.
  • 1858 – Abraham Lincoln gives a speech in Danville at the home of Dr. William Fithian (now the Vermilion County Museum) while campaigning for U.S. Senator against Stephen A. Douglas.
  • 1859 – Ford County is created from an unorganized territory that had been attached to Vermilion County.

    • 1860s

  • 1862 – Grant Township is created.
  • 1862 – The town of Rossville is founded.
  • 1864 – Butler Township is created.
  • 1866 – Vance Township is created.
  • 1866 – Josiah Hunt and Guy Merrill plat the town of Catlin.
  • 1867 – Sidell Township is created.
  • 1868 – Oakwood Township is created.

    • 1870s

  • 1870 September – Danville High School is established.
  • 1871 – The town of Hoopeston is founded.
  • 1872 – Construction on the Pumpkin Vine Railroad begins, to carry coal from south of Covington, Indiana to the Bismarck area.
  • 1872 – The town of Gilbert is founded south of the future site of Alvin.
  • c. 1873 – The town of Bismarck is founded.
  • 1873 – William P. and E. A. West lay out the town of Westville.
  • 1875 – The town of Alvin is founded at a new railroad intersection just north of Gilbert, supplanting the earlier town.

    • 1880s

  • 1883 – The Danville Public Library is formed.

    • 1890s

  • 1897 – An Old Soldiers' Home is established on the southeast side of Danville.
  • 1899 – Jamaica Township is created.

    • 1900s

  • 1900 August 2 – Helen Morgan is born in Vermilion County.
  • 1902 – Love Township is created.
  • 1904 November 7 – Danville's Carnegie Library opens.
  • 1905 January – Hoopeston's Carnegie Library is dedicated.

    • 1910s

  • 1912 – McKendree Township is created.
  • 1919 – The first Grab It Here grocery store opens.

    • 1920s

  • 1924 – Danville High School moves to the current building.
  • 1924 September 15 – Bobby Short is born in Danville.
  • 1925 December 13 – Dick Van Dyke is born in West Plains, Missouri.
  • 1927 – South Ross Township is created.

    • 1930s

  • 1931 July 27 – Jerry Van Dyke is born in Danville.

    • 1940s

  • 1942 March 16 – The town of Alvin is hit by a tornado at 11:40 AM, killing six people and causing much destruction.
  • 1946 – The University of Illinois establishes an extension center at Danville High School.
  • 1949 – The University of Illinois extension becomes Danville Community College.

    • 1950s

  • 1950 January 21 – Joseph R. Tanner is born in Danville.
  • 1951 – Danville Community College is renamed Danville Junior College.

    • 1960s

  • 1965 – Danville Junior College moves to buildings acquired from the Veterans Administration at 2000 East Main Street.
  • 1966 – Danville Junior College becomes an independent two-year college.

    • 1970s

  • 1979 – Danville Junior College is renamed Danville Area Community College.

    • 1980s

  • 1980 September 20 Danville's David S. Palmer Civic Center opens.

    • 1990s

  • 1994 November 3 – Joe Tanner flies aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-66.
  • 1995 November 7 – The new Danville Public Library building opens.
  • 1997 February 11 – Joe Tanner flies aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-82, performing two space walks.

    • 2000s

  • 2000 November 30 – Joe Tanner flies aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-97, performing three space walks.
  • 2004 February – Several historic buildings in downtown Rossville are destroyed by fire.
  • 2005 March 21 – Bobby Short dies at the age of 80.
  • 2006 August 26 – Chittick's Family Eye Care is destroyed by fire.
  • 2006 September 9 – Joe Tanner flies aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-115, performing a space walk.

    • References

    Timeline of Vermilion County, Illinois history Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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