The History of Lexington

A SHORT HISTORY OF LEXINGTON

Foundations: 1829-1860

Lexington, Illinois had been a thriving town for many years before it was officially founded in 1855.

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, LeRoy, Livingston, Lytleville, Mt. Hope, and Wilksborough. In common with other towns founded during the 1836 boom, and like 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.

Previously occupied by the Kickapoo, the town’s development began with the arrival of the John and Margaret Patton family in 1829. The Pattons and their 11 children settled in a 20 x 20 cabin and developed an amicable relationship with the local Kickapoo tribe.

The Patton cabin was a hub of local government and culture, and John Patton is largely credited with building the first grain mill in the area. The cabin has since been restored and moved to its current location near the Lexington pool park and pavilion.

Early Life in Lexington: 1860s - 1903

“`Old Abe'' came out, showed himself and made a little speech, thanking his fellow citizens for the honor of their presence, and reminding them that soon after the Sixth of November he heard good news from this portion of McLean County…Old Abe looks as though the campaign had worn lightly upon him. He is commencing to raise a beautiful pair of whiskers, and looks younger than usual. Still there is no disguising the fact that he is homely. . . . '” - November 21, 1860

Like many Central Illinois towns, Lexington is proud to have a connection to President Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln visited on many occasions during his time in Illinois, often staying overnight, and his funeral train passed through town en route to Springfield in 1865.

Farming was a way of life for Lexington’s early settlers, and agriculture continues to form a solid base for Lexington’s economy. The construction of the railroad, and later Route 66 and Interstate 55, also served to bolster the economic development of the town.

The late 1800s were a booming time for the town. In 1897, 30 people subscribed to the town’s first switchboard service, and that same year the first library was founded - the library later moved to its current location in 1913. In 1899, Lexington installed its first electric lights. Four years later, in 1903, President Teddy Roosevelt visited Lexington and gave a speech at the train depot. Local lore states that tickets were sold for the speech, with an assumption that the speech would be given at the local park, but instead, President Roosevelt stayed on his train and spoke at the depot. His speech is cataloged here at the Theodore Roosevelt Center.

The 20th Century

Seventy-five Lexington men and one woman enlisted in World War I, and the local Red Cross chapter was organized in 1915. An increase in demand for farm products shortly after the war made life tough for local farmers, even before the Great Depression hit. Food and money were scarce, and the 1930s brought drought conditions, making life even more difficult for the farmers.

By the mid-1930s, FDR’s New Deal programs began to give Lexingtonians some optimism. New work projects provided jobs, young men joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, and pension payments began rolling in.

During World War II, the town joined together to contribute to the war effort. Community members carpooled to Bloomington and dutifully abided the rations imposed on sugar, oil, and more. Young men went off to fight, and local women formed knitting circles to support the Red Cross. In the 1940s, the federal government issued local farmers permits to grow 4,200 acres of marijuana, in order to create hemp ropes that would help with the war effort. The community celebrated this development, as it brought more than 100 new jobs to the area.

During the 20th century, Lexington continued to grow every year. The first fire truck was purchased in 1927, the first police car in 1959, and the first ambulance in 1978. Lexington celebrated its Centennial in 1955 and it’s Sesquicentennial in 2005.

Lexington Today

Today Lexington's economy is still based solidly on agriculture, while still growing steadily. Lexington has continued to build new housing developments, serving as a bedroom community for Bloomington-Normal, and has become a popular destination for its shopping and food/drink options. The town plays host to popular events throughout the year, including Christmas on the Prairie and the Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor. The population was 2,090 at the 2020 census.

For more information on the City of Lexington, contact The Fort at their website (https://www.lexingtonillinoisfort.org/), by phone (309-365-4591), or via email at thefortoflex@aol.com.

Information adapted from 150 Years of Lexington, Illinois, Wikipedia, and other public sources.