ILLINOIS GENEALOGY EXPRESS


 

Vermilion County,
Illinois

Vermilion County, Illinois

HISTORY OF DANVILLE TOWNSHIP
Source: History of Vermilion Co., Illinois by Lottie Jones - publ. 1911
pp. 393


 



 

     Danville township remains the same territory that it was in the first formation of townships.  As the territory containing the county seat in this township has been pretty well considered in former pages.  The story of Danville township is very nearly the story of Danville itself.  This was true of the first half century at least, although other towns have sprung up since and now Danville township is very nearly the story of Danville itself.  This was true of the first half century at least, although other towns have sprung up since and now Danville township means more than Danville and the farms surrounding it.  The population of Danville township outside of the city is 8,362.
     The original plan of the present city of Danville included Main street from perhaps about Franklin, on the west to Hazel on the east and from the river on the south to North street on the north.  Within the memory of some of the sons and daughters of Vermilion county the lots north and west of where the Presbyterian church is located was a vast cornfield.  The old log building which was known as the Gilbert tavern with its old sign, according to the custom of the times, hanging from a tree near by, gave place to the more pretentious Pennsylvania House, and its rival the McCormack House, to in due course of time make way for the modern hotel.  So it is the old buildings have all made way for the new ones with the single exception  of the first Presbyterian church building and the parsonage where Father Kingsbury lived during his service to that church, these two buildings yet standing on South Walnut street.  The historic corners of the public plaza are now covered with modern buildings.  The court house, rapidly becoming in itself of little merit other than historic, covers the place where the former court house stood.  The old Hubbard building gave place to the Danville office building known as the Daniel block some years ago; the old Shorts Bank corner has had a modern building on its site for several years while the First National Bank building yet makes a good showing.  The Palmer National Bank has but this summer built on new and handsome building on the southeast corner of the plaza where they have been established for several years.  The Temple building, the Baum building and the Second National Bank building are all of recent construction and buildings of which any city might be proud.  A number of beautiful houses have been put up during the past half dozen years.  The Lindley house on North street, the Kimbrough house on North Vermilion street and the Powers home on North Vermilion street are perhaps the finest resident property in Dan-
[pg. 394]
ville.  The new government building will be a great addition to the city.  It is located on the site of Judge Davis' home, on Vermilion street.
     The early buildings of Danville have all been lost to view these many years with the exception of the old Presbyterian church and Rev. Kingsbury house, both on the west side of Walnut street.  Other old land marks which existed for a long time have all been transformed into modern buildings.  There was the old log tavern which Solomon Gilbert built on the west end of Main street.  This was a pretentious house, for the time, and no criticism was due with its sign swinging form the limb of a tree near by.  Everything which would tend to recall that familiar house of early day so long since passed out of sight of the interested.  Even the tree and all its descendants have been converted into ashes and scattered to the four winds of the heavens.  This hostelry gave place to the old Pennsylvania House and its rival, the McCormack House.  The Pennsylvania House stood on Vermilion street and the McCormack was on west Main street between Walnut and Franklin streets.


The Temple Building, Danville, IL
< click here to see postcard version of the Temple Building >

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