Meadows, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Meadows, Illinois is a populated unincorporated small village located in McLean County
. Meadows is located on US Route 24, midway between Chenoa
and Gridley
,
with easy access from Interstate 55
. Meadows at one time had a bank, general store, auto garage, a washing machine factory, and a school..All that remains in town is a nursing home, church, and a grain elevator. One railway line passes through the center of the town.
. It also had a store and a grainhouse as well as a train station that stopped along the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway
. Meadows was also home to the Meadows Washer Line, a washing machine manufacture.
and is a main grain shipping facility in the area.
The church was built and dedicated in 1909. This building was added on to and updated until a new church was built in 1967. The new building served the congregation until the church closed in 2007. With the advant of the building of Interstate 55
, 3 miles to the east near Chenoa
, Meadows was then considered out of the way and the local bank in Meadows closed, general store, auto garage, and a school all were closed inevitably, with the interstate being to blame. The church had seen a reduction in congregation since it peaked in the 1940's at 300. It finally made the operating of the day-to-day expenses too much for the church to shoulder and the Meadows Mennonite Church closed on Sunday, August 19, 2007. An end to 117 years in this small community.
McLean County, Illinois
McLean County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. McLean County is included in the Bloomington–Normal, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 169,572, which is an increase of 12.7% from 150,433 in 2000. Its county seat is...
. Meadows is located on US Route 24, midway between Chenoa
Chenoa, Illinois
Chenoa is a city in McLean County, Illinois, USA. The population was 1,785 at the 2010 census. Located at the intersections of Interstate 55, Historic Route 66, and U.S. Route 24.Founded in 1854 by Mathew T. Scott, Chenoa was created to provide a retail and trade center for his farm tenants as well...
and Gridley
Gridley, Illinois
Gridley is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,432 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area....
,
with easy access from Interstate 55
Interstate 55
Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...
. Meadows at one time had a bank, general store, auto garage, a washing machine factory, and a school..All that remains in town is a nursing home, church, and a grain elevator. One railway line passes through the center of the town.
History
The town of Meadows was laid out 18 May 1903 by Samuel W. Baker. The Original Town consisted of ten blocks on either side of the railroad with additional lots just north of the tracks. A station with the name Meadows and a small cluster of buildings had existed in this place since at least 1874. In 1877 Charles Parker platted and recorded the land in which he owned in the area now known as Meadows. A post office was located here with Charles Klein being its first postmasterPostmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
. It also had a store and a grainhouse as well as a train station that stopped along the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway
Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway
The Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway is a short-line railroad that operates of track from Mapleton, Illinois, through Peoria across Illinois to Logansport, Indiana, and includes a branch line between Logansport to Winamac, Indiana...
. Meadows was also home to the Meadows Washer Line, a washing machine manufacture.
Economy
Meadows is home to the Meadows Mennonite Retirement Community which was founded in 1919. It offers Alzheimer and nursing care to the elderly. Meadows is also home to one of the Prairie Central Co-Op grain elevators. It has access to the Toledo, Peoria and Western RailwayToledo, Peoria and Western Railway
The Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway is a short-line railroad that operates of track from Mapleton, Illinois, through Peoria across Illinois to Logansport, Indiana, and includes a branch line between Logansport to Winamac, Indiana...
and is a main grain shipping facility in the area.
Meadows Mennonite Church
Meadows Mennonite Church started out as an Alsace Amish congregation in 1874. It wasn't until 1890 that the congregation was officially organized. It then went on to become the charter member of the Central Conference in 1908. Consideration of where the church should be built was a main concern because people of the late 19th century mostly had to be transported by horse and carriage. But Meadows boasted a passenger railway stop, a luxury of the time that most small towns did not have.The church was built and dedicated in 1909. This building was added on to and updated until a new church was built in 1967. The new building served the congregation until the church closed in 2007. With the advant of the building of Interstate 55
Interstate 55
Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...
, 3 miles to the east near Chenoa
Chenoa
María Laura Corradini Falomir, popularly known as Chenoa is a famous Argentine-Spanish female music artist who became successful after appearing on the TV contest Operación Triunfo. Her music style could be described in the United States as pop...
, Meadows was then considered out of the way and the local bank in Meadows closed, general store, auto garage, and a school all were closed inevitably, with the interstate being to blame. The church had seen a reduction in congregation since it peaked in the 1940's at 300. It finally made the operating of the day-to-day expenses too much for the church to shoulder and the Meadows Mennonite Church closed on Sunday, August 19, 2007. An end to 117 years in this small community.