Cropsey is a small town in 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...

, Illinois

Illinois

Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. It was named for a Civil War colonel in the Union Army.

Founding of Cropsey

Cropsey was laid out 8 October 1880 by Henry L. Terpening (13 April 1836 – 11 August 1911). and Ira C. Pratt (12 January 1832 – 14 April 1917). Pratt was a native of Vermont

Vermont

Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...

 who had been trained as a blacksmith and Wagon-maker. He came to Illinois

Illinois

Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

 in 1855, settling first at Morton

Morton

- Fictional :* Morton Koopa, Jr., a character and boss in Super Mario Bros. 3* A character in the Charlie and Lola franchise-Places:In Canada:* Morton, Manitoba* Morton, Ontario, a community in Rideau LakesIn France:* Morton, Vienne...

 in Tazewell County

Tazewell County, Illinois

Tazewell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 135,394, which is an increase of 5.4% from 128,485 in 2000. Its county seat and largest city is Pekin. The majority of the population live in the suburbs and bedroom communities...

. In 1867 he purchased land in Belle Prairie Township

Belle Prairie Township, Livingston County, Illinois

Belle Prairie Township is located in Livingston County, Illinois in the United States. The population was 91 at the 2000 census.- External links :***...

, Livingston County

Livingston County, Illinois

Livingston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 38,950, which is a decrease of 1.8% from 39,678 in 2000. Its county seat is Pontiac....

, just north of Cropsey. In 1882 he began buying tile to drain his farmland and then decided to manufacture his own tile in Cropsey. In 1883 he built a large house on the west side of the town of Cropsey. Terpening, whose name was sometimes spelled, Henry L. Terpenning, was a native of New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 who had been a farmer in Cropsey Township

Cropsey Township, McLean County, Illinois

Cropsey Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 256 at the 2000 census. It was named after Col. A.J. Cropsey, the owner of a large farm in the area. In 1860 there were 25 families living in the township, by the 2000 census the total population was reported at 256.-...

. He was a justice of the peace and represented McLean County in the Illinois State Legislature in the 36th and 37th general assemblies during the early 1890s. About 1892 he moved to Vermilion County

Vermilion County, Illinois

Vermilion County is a county located in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Illinois, between the Indiana border and Champaign County. It was established in 1826 and was the 45th of Illinois' 102 counties...

. Before the town of Cropsey was established, there had been several efforts to attract a railroad to Cropsey Township. In October of 1869 the township had voted $60,000 in bonds, with an additional $15,000 to be added if a station was established in the township. The money was to have helped finance the Decatur and East St. Louis Railroad. This effort failed. This railroad passed north of the township. A second chance came in 1880 with the Clinton, Bloomington and Northeastern Railroad. A number of local people donated money and land to attract the railroad to Cropsey Township. The town of Cropsey was laid out at the same time as other new towns on this railroad including Anchor

Anchor, Illinois

Anchor is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 146 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Anchor is located at ....

, Colfax

Colfax, Illinois

Colfax is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,061 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area....

, and Cooksville

Cooksville, Illinois

Cooksville is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 182 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Cooksville is located at ....

. The first trains from Kankakee came on 4 July 1880, but it was another two years before tracks were completed to Bloomington

Bloomington, Illinois

Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...

. This railroad soon became part of the Illinois Central system. Cropsey Township, from which the new town took its name, was named in honor of Andrew J. Cropsey who was a Civil War officer member of the Illinois Legislature in the 1860s.

Design and Development of Cropsey

The original town of Cropsey had only about fifty lots. Southeast of the diagonal railroad was an enlarged railroad ground where its normal one hundred foot right-of-way was extended an additional seventy-five feet in width. On this side, Main Street ran parallel to the tracks with eleven lots facing the street. The depot and one grain elevator were northwest of the tracks and the early stockyard and another elevator southeast. Other lots were scattered along Yates Street, Locust Street, East Street, and Belle Prairie Street. By 1895 only a few businesses had settled in the town. Seth R. Alford operated the Alford House Hotel and also dealt in livery and feed. H. L. Barns ran a bank, served as notary public, and also dealt in livestock and grain. E. W. Crum had a blacksmith and wheelwright shop and sold drain tile. There were two other stores. Meeker brothers handled groceries, dry goods and hardware. L. W. Alford and Brother sold dry goods, notions, hats, caps, boots, shoes and queensware; they also repaired harnesses. Most of these businesses faced Main Street Since that time Cropsey has remained a very small place.