Timeline of Vermilion County, Illinois history

This article is a timeline of Vermilion County, Illinois history.

1800s

 * 1809 – The Illinois Territory is formed.

1810s

 * 1818 December 3 – Illinois is admitted to the Union.
 * 1819 November – Salt Springs becomes the first European settlement in what is to become Vermilion County.

1820s

 * 1826 January 18 – Vermilion County is created.
 * 1826 March – The county is divided into two townships, Carroll in the south and Ripley in the north.
 * 1826 – James Haworth plats the town of Georgetown.
 * 1827 January – The Salt Works, on the Salt River the west of the mouth of the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River, is the first settlement. Lottie Jones VC History
 * 1827 January 31 – The future site of Danville is identified as the new county seat.
 * 1827 April 10 – Lots in the new town of Danville go on sale.
 * 1827 May – Post office at Danville opens in the home of Amos Williams.
 * 1828 – Post office at Georgetown opens.

1830s

 * 1833 – Champaign County is founded to the west, taking a strip ten miles wide from the west side of Vermilion County.
 * 1833 – Iroquois County is founded to the north, and Vermilion County is extended by 6 miles on the north side.
 * 1835 – Daniel Beckwith (after whom Danville was named) dies of pneumonia following a horseback ride from Washington.
 * 1837 – The town of Franklin is founded near the future site of Bismarck, but only lasts a few years.
 * 1838 September 17–20 – The Potawatomi Trail of Death camps at Sandusky Point near what became the town of Catlin.
 * 1839 – Post office at the future site of Rossville opens.

1840s

 * 1843 – The town of Myersville is founded near the future site of Bismarck.

1850s

 * 1851 – Vermilion County is divided into eight townships: Danville,  Georgetown, Elwood, Carroll, Ross, Middlefork, Newell (first called Richland), and Pilot.
 * 1851 – B. E. Conkey founds Conkeytown.
 * 1856 – Blount Township is created.
 * 1857 – Mann's Chapel is constructed south of the future site of Rossville.
 * 1858 – Catlin Township is created.
 * 1858 – Abraham Lincoln gives a speech in Danville at the home of Dr. William Fithian (now the Vermilion County Museum) while campaigning for U.S. Senator against Stephen A. Douglas.
 * 1859 – Ford County is created from an unorganized territory that had been attached to Vermilion County.

1860s

 * 1862 – Grant Township is created.
 * 1862 – The town of Rossville is founded.
 * 1864 – Butler Township is created.
 * 1866 – Vance Township is created.
 * 1866 – Josiah Hunt and Guy Merrill plat the town of Catlin.
 * 1867 – Sidell Township is created.
 * 1868 – Oakwood Township is created.

1870s

 * 1870 September – Danville High School is established.
 * 1871 – The town of Hoopeston is founded.
 * 1872 – Construction on the Pumpkin Vine Railroad begins, to carry coal from south of Covington, Indiana to the Bismarck area.
 * 1872 – The town of Gilbert is founded south of the future site of Alvin.
 * c. 1873 – The town of Bismarck is founded.
 * 1873 – William P. and E. A. West lay out the town of Westville.
 * 1875 – The town of Alvin is founded at a new railroad intersection just north of Gilbert, supplanting the earlier town.

1880s

 * 1883 – The Danville Public Library is formed.
 * 1884 – The Grand Opera House (later the Fischer Theatre) opens.

1890s

 * 1894 – The Danville Training School for Nurses (later Lakeview College of Nursing) opens.
 * 1897 – An Old Soldiers' Home is established on the southeast side of Danville.
 * 1899 – Jamaica Township is created.

1900s

 * 1900 August 2 – Helen Morgan is born in Vermilion County.
 * 1902 – Love Township is created.
 * 1904 November 7 – Danville's Carnegie Library opens.
 * 1905 January – Hoopeston's Carnegie Library is dedicated.

1910s

 * 1912 – McKendree Township is created.
 * 1919 – The first Grab It Here grocery store opens.

1920s

 * 1924 – Danville High School moves to the current building.
 * 1924 September 15 – Bobby Short is born in Danville.
 * 1925 December 13 – Dick Van Dyke is born in West Plains, Missouri.
 * 1927 – South Ross Township is created.

1930s

 * 1931 July 27 – Jerry Van Dyke is born in Danville.

1940s

 * 1942 March 16 – The town of Alvin is hit by a tornado at 11:40 AM, killing six people and causing much destruction.
 * 1946 – The University of Illinois establishes an extension center at Danville High School.
 * 1949 – The University of Illinois extension becomes Danville Community College.

1950s

 * 1950 January 21 – Joseph R. Tanner is born in Danville.
 * 1951 – Danville Community College is renamed Danville Junior College.

1960s

 * 1965 – Danville Junior College moves to buildings acquired from the Veterans Administration at 2000 East Main Street.
 * 1966 – Danville Junior College becomes an independent two-year college.

1970s

 * 1979 – Danville Junior College is renamed Danville Area Community College.

1980s

 * 1980 September 20 Danville's David S. Palmer Civic Center opens.
 * 1988 – Lakeview College of Nursing becomes a separate entity when the hospital changes hands.

1990s

 * 1994 November 3 – Joe Tanner flies aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-66.
 * 1995 November 7 – The new Danville Public Library building opens.
 * 1997 February 11 – Joe Tanner flies aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-82, performing two space walks.

2000s

 * 2000 November 30 – Joe Tanner flies aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-97, performing three space walks.
 * 2004 February – Several historic buildings in downtown Rossville are destroyed by fire.
 * 2005 March 21 – Bobby Short dies at the age of 80.
 * 2006 August 26 – Chittick's Family Eye Care is destroyed by fire.
 * 2006 September 9 – Joe Tanner flies aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-115, performing a space walk.

2010s

 * 2017 September 30, October 1 – Vermilion Regional Airport hosts its first air show since 1987.
 * 2018 January 5 – Jerry Van Dyke dies at age 86.