Shirley is a small unincorporated municipality located in southwestern McLean County

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...

. It sits right off 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...

. It was founded in 1854 and currently has a population of 378. Shirley is home to the Funk Prairie Home & Rock Museum.

History

The town of Shirley was laid out on 14 September 1866 by John M Foster (12 November 1806 – 11 May 1898). Foster was a native 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. 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. 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.

External links

• Shirley, United States Page
• 61772 Zip Code Detailed Profile
• Funk Prairie Home & Rock Museum