1837 Writing
Washington as Seen in 1837
Illinois Weekly State Journal
September 9, 1837
(This article contains the earliest known contemporary description of Washington)
The town of Washington is situated about 14 miles north of Tremont; 12 miles east of Peoria; the same distance from Wesley City on the Illinois River; and 28 miles from Bloomington, on a direct line from that place to Peoria. The place was laid out in 1834. It now contains from 3-400 inhabitants, 2 taverns, 4 dry good stores, 2 groceries, 2 blacksmith shops, 2 public houses, 1 cabinet maker’s shop, and one steam saw mill. A steam flouring mill is now being erected. There are three schools for boys and one for girls-all of an excellent order. There is one public school house. There are at this time seven buildings for stores nearly completed, as well as many dwelling houses. Preparations for erecting others are being made; and it is anticipated that by the ensuing fall some 30 or 40 may be added to the present number.
The beauty of the country in the neighborhood, and the health and prosperity of the town, have drawn here more than the ordinary number of mechanics, the music of whose hammers sounds most agreeably to the lovers of improvements.
The mercantile business here is extensive and greatly increasing. Several of the merchants have very large stocks of goods, for which they appear to find a ready market.
The country around is among the best in the state; fertile as need be, and beautifully undulating. Holland’s Grove furnishes an almost exhaustless supply of timber. On the borders of the prairie in every direction, there are beautiful and well improved farms-the natural point of trade which is at Washington, and which must secure for that place a rapid growth and permanent prosperity.
The northern part of Tazewell County will well compare in beauty, fertility and natural advantages, with almost any portion of the State. Large tracts of the most beautiful land are yet uncultivated. In places, improvements have been boldly pushed into the prairie, four or five miles from the timber; and a fact which must be gratifying to our citizens is that most of those who have thus located, and who have before lived upon the edge of the timber, decidedly preferred the prairie location.
There is a quarry of gypsum in the neighborhood of Washington-said to be of good quality. It is possible that some ages hence, it may prove to be of great utility as a dressing for land-a store of wealth for future generations-too much in the future to give us trouble on that point. Bituminous coal is found on the river bluffs (distance eight miles), of a good quality. On suitable examinations it will, without doubt, be found much nearer.
An unfortunate circumstance has, in some degree, retarded the prosperity of this section of the country. Plots of several townships of land had been mislaid at the time of the public sale, and of consequence those townships have not come into market. Pre-emptions and floats have, however, been freely used; and these townships are now advancing in prosperity.
Washington is on a line from Tremont to Chicago. It has become a matter of importance that the great northern mail which passes through Springfield should be carried on the nearest and best route to Chicago. The citizens of Washington are competitors with those of Bloomington in this matter. We cannot decide which is the most eligible route; but of this much we are certain that the interests of the public generally require that the post master general should take this matter in hand, and secure to the people of this section of the country the mail facilities which rightly belong to them. Vast amounts of money are employed in amusing the people of the cities with express mails-while here extensive and populous districts are almost destitute of mail facilities.
We are somewhat digressed in our remarks, but our apology must be that the post office department has neglected its duties in regard to this part of the country-more particularly portions of Tazewell and McLean counties. For instance, a mail route is authorized to run between Decatur, Bloomington, and Ottawa. No mail s carried upon the route. A mail route is authorized and contracted for between Danville and Pekin-passing through Bloomington, Mackinaw, & Groveland. No mail is carried on this route. A mail is authorized to be carried from Bloomington to Joliet-there to intersect the northern mail. There is no mail carried on this route. Complaints have been frequently made to the Department on this matter, but no means of redress have been adopted. The only mail received at Bloomington goes from Springfield, and is carried under the contract of R. Allen & Co. and has never failed. The citizens of Mackinaw, Tremont, and other places, are indebted in a good degree for mail facilities, to private enterprise.
The town of Washington seems to have been forced into its present importance by the necessities of the country. The lots in the town are generally owned by its citizens, and the buildings erected are for their own accommodation. The place is scarcely known beyond the limits of the county; while fame of others, of very little importance, is spread over the whole country.
Washington is a compact village; the business is confined principally to the Public Square; the residents extending from the streets leading from the square. Its appearance will strikingly remind one of the many flourishing little towns which started into existence on the New York and Erie Canal in 1823. In the most busy parts of town, the stumps of trees are conspicuous-rather a novelty in this region of prairie towns.
There is a good tavern house in this town, kept by Mr. Hungerford, its proprietor; where the way-worn traveler will find all those comforts which he seeks for in such establishments.
A mail route from Springfield would pass through Tremont, Washington, Hanover, Lyons, Magnolia, to Ottawa-all important points, and will become large towns.