![]() ![]() Among the speculators were Elisha Linder, Ebenezer Noyes, James T. The community that had grown in the area of swamp grass and prairie came to be known as "Pegtown", which referred to the pegs (stakes) used to demarcate lots to be sold at public auction. The two railroads raced to the meeting point, on the understanding that the first to arrive would not have to pay to maintain the crossing. In 1854, railroad surveyors from the Illinois Central Railroad and Terre Haute and Alton Railroad found their railroads would cross in the Mattoon area, and a burst of investment and land speculation began. The growth and subsequent history of Mattoon is tied to that of local railroads. Unity Church, erected in 1872 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places A plaque at the corner of 32nd Street and Western Avenue marks the location of this important landmark. The tree was cut down on August 1, 1950, due to disease. Another trail, the Kaskaskia Pass, traveled past what was known as "The Lone Elm Tree", a natural landmark that helped guide visitors and newcomers. In 1836, "Old State Road", which runs along the southern end of town, became one of the first trails to be established in the Mattoon area. Settlers in the Mattoon area remained poor and humble, but their community remained close knit. The county was named after Edward Coles, the second governor in Illinois who served from 1822 to 1826. On Christmas Day, 1830, Coles County was established. That year, the Illinois State Legislature passed its first school laws, making Mattoon a forerunner for early education in the state.Īs the population grew, demand for a local government increased. School was maintained in this location until 1844–45, when the first real schoolhouse was built in what would become Mattoon. The first school was established in 1827–28 in the Paradise Township, taking place in a makeshift cabin and taught by James Waddill. ![]() Hogs, which ran wild in the woods, provided pork, while "deer, bears, wild turkeys, and prairie chickens provided an abundant supply of wild meat." Wolves proved troublesome to domesticated animals. Gardens of potatoes and other vegetables were maintained. "The luxuries of life were generally not seen the first years of the settlement, but appeared as the residents could obtain them." Ĭorn was planted and remained a staple crop. Settlers built log cabins using pegs (no iron or nails). John Epperson, the county's first physician. Within a year, a few families very quickly settled around Sawyer in the area of Paradise Township, including Dr. Levi Doty built Sawyer's cabin while the latter returned to Kentucky to retrieve the rest of his family. In 1826, Kentucky émigré Charles Sawyer became the first white man known to settle in the Mattoon area, just north of the timberline (known as the Wabash Point Timber) along the Little Wabash River. Since the vast majority of early settlers came from wooded areas of Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee (by way of the Ohio and Wabash River valleys), the forests also provided a sense of familiarity. Early settlers to the area started homesteads in the timberline, which provided building materials and fuel. Groves could be found scattered throughout the area. It was largely used for pasturage during this period, and often presented signs of great animation as the herds of cattle, under the care of their drovers, moved about over its grassy, slightly undulating surface." It is almost entirely prairie land in this part, and was allowed to remain uncultivated until after the opening of the railroads. "Away from the timber to the north, the face of the country is generally quite level, broken only by long undulations. An early historian described the geography: The prairie, known as the "Grand Prairie", was generally wet and swampy. The forested areas were primarily fed by two major rivers: the Embarras River in the east and the Kaskaskia in the west. Coles County straddled a timberline in the southern half and prairie in the north. One of the main factors determining the settlement of Mattoon and Coles County in general was the topography. ![]() Both are principal cities of the Charleston–Mattoon Micropolitan Statistical Area. The city is home to Lake Land College and has close ties with its neighbor, Charleston. The population was 16,870 as of the 2020 census. t u n/ MAT-toon) is a city in Coles County, Illinois, United States. ![]()
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