1845
In 1845 the "old brick mill" was built by Asa Danforth. The mill, located at the corner of what is now Jefferson and Wood Streets, was the first brick building built in Washington. The Andrews family would run the mill for over fifty years and it was finally razed in 1956. Below you will see two photos of the mill, one from the early 1900s and one much later in the building's lifespan.
In 1845 the city of Peoria was officially incorporated, with a population of around 2,000 people.
In 1845, the Tazewell County Board passed a resolution that every able-bodied male between the ages of 21 and 30 was to perform two days of work for the County Supervisor. The Board also set Washington's election supervisors as John Lindley, Elisha Harms, and Joseph Kelso.
A significant arrival to Washington in 1845 was Andrew Frazer. Frazer arrived in our area at the age of 32 and spent another fifty years providing harness work for Washington's citizens at his shop just north of the square near the corner of what is now Main and Zinser.
In 1845 the Hungerford family sold their Hungerford Hotel on the square to a William Robinson, who died in 1866. At some point the hotel was sold to Elias Benford, and during these changes it was renamed the Sherman House.
Also in 1845, this statute was passed in Illinois: "Any person who shall hereafter bring into this State any black or mulatto person, in order to free him or her from slavery, or shall directly or indirectly bring into this State, or aid or assist any person in bringing any such black and mulatto person to settle and reside therein, shall be fined one hundred dollars on conviction and indictment, before any justice of the peace in the county where such offense shall be committed."