Shirley, Illinois

Shirley is an unincorporated community located in southwestern McLean County, Illinois, United States, just off Interstate 55. It was founded in 1854 and currently has a population of 378. Shirley is home to the Funk Prairie Home & Rock Museum.

Shirley
Unincorporated community
Shirley
Location of Shirley within Illinois
Coordinates: 40°24′26″N 89°3′45″W
CountryUnited States
StateIllinois
CountyMcLean
Founded1854
Elevation
764 ft (233 m)
Population
 (2000)
 • Total378
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
Postal code
61772
Area code(s)309
[1]

History

The town of Shirley was laid out on 14 September 1866 by John M Foster (12 November 1806 – 11 May 1898).[2] Foster was a native of Charleston County, New Hampshire. Before the village was established there was a switch at the location and a few lots had been platted. Foster built a brick house and store south of the railroad.[3] The original town consisted of ten small blocks, mostly on the north side of the St. Louis Chicago and Alton Railroad. In 1874, Foster’s home and a store and the station were on the south side of the tracks and a warehouse and mill were on the north side.[4] In 1895 there was a Methodist church, a Christian church, and a hotel north of the tracks; at that time were about twenty houses scattered on both sides of the railroad.[5]

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References
  1. "Shirley". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2012-09-11.
  2. .Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of McLean County (Edited by Ezra M. Prince and John H. Burnham; 2 vols: Chicago: Munsell, 1908) p. 902. ISBN 1-4035-0026-6
  3. History of McLean County, Illinois (Chicago: LeBaron 1879) p.616.
  4. Combined Indexed Atlas 1856-1914, McLean County, Illinois, (Bloomington: McLean County Historical Society and McLean County Genealogical Society, 2006) P.75. ISBN 0-943788-33-1
  5. Combined Atlas, 2006, 173.
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