Washington - Home of Illinois State University?

In February 1857, the state of Illinois passed an act to establish a “normal school,” i.e., a teacher’s college. The Illinois State Board of Education got to work seeking bids from cities to be the home for such a university. To the cities, this was a significant chunk to invest in but also could have a tremendous payoff in development and growth.

Only four bids in the entire state were received.  Bloomington, Peoria, Batavia, and Washington.

In cash and land value, Bloomington offered a bid of $140,000 (over $4 million in today’s money). Peoria, which was exploding in population in the 1850s and nearing 14,000 residents, put together a bid of around $80,000 ($2.5 million).

Batavia, roughly the same size as Washington at the time in what is now the far west suburbs of Chicago, already had a large school structure building to sweeten their bid, the Batavia Institute.  Their bid came in at $45,000 (~ $1.5 million).

Washington, only 32 years removed from William Holland's arrival and with a population of around 1,500, saw the potential for such an opportunity, and a group of stockholders put together a bid for $20,000 (~$600,000 today).

It (the bid) consisted of the Washington Academy: a fine lot in the center of the city, 430 feet by 120.  The whole amount offered by Washington was $20,000. This sum, from a place the size of Washington, seemed to take the committee with a sort of agreeable surprise.  It evinced on the part of our enterprising little neighbor an energy and disposition to “go ahead;” a desire for the real benefit of her citizens which many larger places might profitably take example by. (Chicago Tribune 5/12/1857)

The area offered as part of the bid for the new state school was the northern half of the block border by Main, Catherine, High, and Holland.

As you may be able to predict, Bloomington was awarded the school on May 7, 1857. The village of North Bloomington later changed its name to Normal in honor of the school, which is now Illinois State University.

Our citizens will see by this report, that though it shows us to be mere pigmies in stature alongside of the giants Bloomington and Peoria, yet they could not but admire our spunk in entering the list as a competitor for such a prize.  Though defeated, we have gained strength by the contest; and if Bloomington has honorably won the State Institution, we have remaining to us a noble local Institution which is worthy of our efforts, and around which all our affections should be enshrined. (Washington Investigator 5/1857)