Tag Archives: Tornadoes

Springfield tornado of 1957

The storm that forever repudiated the theory that Springfield was immune to tornadoes occurred at 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday, June 14, 1957. The storm — later designated as F4 in severity — swept through the south side of Springfield, killing … Continue reading

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Cantrall: First church, first marriage

Founded and named: The village of Cantrall was originally named Antioch, but the name was changed to honor the Cantrall family, who were among the first European settlers of the area. In unusually precise fashion, the Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois, … Continue reading

Posted in Churches, Disasters, Early residents | Tagged | 11 Comments

Williamsville

European settlers lived in the Williamsville area by the early 1820s, but the village itself wasn’t laid out until 1853. The community’s first house was built by Jacob Flagg in the fall of that year. Williamsville is named after Col. … Continue reading

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