Armstrong, Illinois Explained

Armstrong
Settlement Type:Unincorporated community
Mapsize:150px
Pushpin Map:USA Illinois Vermilion County
Pushpin Map Caption:Armstrong's location in Vermilion County
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Vermilion County
Subdivision Type3:Township
Subdivision Name3:Middlefork Township
Established Title:Established
Established Date:1876
Elevation M:212
Elevation Ft:696
Coordinates:40.3064°N -87.8778°W
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:61812
Area Code:217
Blank Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank Info:0403620

Armstrong is an unincorporated community in Middlefork Township, Vermilion County, Illinois.

History

Armstrong was laid out in 1876 on land owned by Thomas and Henry Armstrong; it was on the route of the Havana, Rantoul, and Eastern narrow-gauge railroad (which later became the Illinois Central Railroad).

On October 2, 1908, a fire destroyed many important buildings in Armstrong, including the general store, the harness shop, the blacksmith shop, the lumber yard, the opera house, the post office, and the grain elevator. Water was pumped by hand by residents to try to fight the fire, and water was also brought by rail from over a mile away; the town had no fire equipment.[1]

Geography

Armstrong is located in the northwestern part of the county, just northeast of the intersection of U.S. Route 136 and Illinois State Route 49. It is about four miles west of Potomac.

References

  1. Book: Stapp , Katherine . W. I. Bowman . History Under Our Feet: The Story of Vermilion County, Illinois . Interstate Printers and Publishers, Inc. . 1968 . Danville, Illinois . 39.

External links