The history of Champaign Urbana

Over the years there has been talk of combining the two cities but residents of neither town are generally enthusiastic about the idea. Each likes its own identity, which, even though the land has changed, is still as different as woods and swamps.

Champaign Urbana Timeline

1818    Illinois became a state

1821    Area cut from Vermilion County and surveyed into mile square townships

1822    Runnel Fielder and Henry Sadorus squat in area

1824    William Tompkins cabin built on boneyard Creek behind Currier Bldg

1833    Champaign County established named for Ohio home of John Vance

1834    Thirty cabins in northern Urbana Township

1845    First murder trial; Lincoln was defending lawyer and lost case; prisoner escaped

1851    Railroad charter granted

1852    Urbana Union is first newspaper in the area

1853    Land platted around railroad

1854    First train arrives

1857    West Urbana incorporated; population over 1200

1863    Joseph Kuhn opened retail clothing store West Urbana; still in business located in building built in 1907

1865    B.F. Harris founds First National Bank of Champaign also known as the Cattle Bank; building still standing in downtown Champaign (First and University)

1868    Samuel and Simeon Busey open Busey Brother's Bank Illinois Industrial University  (U of I) begins with 77 students (45 from Champaign County)

            Champaign Fire destroys most of the downtown area's buildings

1870    West Urbana changes name to Champaign

            Gas arrives to area for lights and heat

1871    Great Urbana Fire day after Chicago fire (telegraphed Champaign for assistance)

1874    Robeson's Dept Store opened in downtown Champaign area (closes 1990)

1878    Telephone arrives (only in newspaper offices and can only call each other)

1880    Area drudged to eliminate mud and swamp

1881    Central Telephone Company goes into service

1884    Champaign Main Street paved with bricks

1887    Electricity arrives to area

1893    Eisner Park (West End Park) Pleasure Resort opens with roller coaster

1895    Burnham Hospital opens (closed 1989)

1896    Public Library opens; located on Church Street

1898    One of Champaign's first buildings, the Doane House, where Lincoln stayed often, burns

            First hanging for murder; Richard Collier convicted of killing Charles Freebryant

1899    Stature "Prayer for Rain" in White Park (now West Side Park) dedicated

1901    First automobile in towns

1903    Interurban established for transportation between towns such as Homer and Rantoul