Princeton

By David Belden and Bureau County Historical Society

In 1831, the settlement of Princeton, Illinois, began as families from New England, and later the Mid-Atlantic states, traveled West seeking good land. These early settlers built the Hampshire Colony Congregational Church. Rev. Owen Lovejoy, one of its earliest pastors, became a well-known abolitionist and used his Princeton home to harbor runaway slaves. Before the Civil War, Princeton citizens convinced Burlington Railroad to lay rails within a mile of their town. The community expanded its main street to meet the railroad and insure the town s growth. Today Princeton remains a richly endowed and vital community, set in the peaceful countryside of North Central Illinois.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Release date: Nov 8, 2010
• ISBN: 9781439639597

David Belden

The Bureau County Historical Society can trace its origins back to the Early Settlers Association, which was established in 1867. Today the museum is housed in two historic buildings in the center of Princeton. David A. Belden, a doctoral candidate at DePaul University, teaches local history classes at Minooka Community High School and is an adjunct instructor at the University of St. Francis and Joliet Junior College.

Book preview

ago.

INTRODUCTION

Princeton, Illinois, has long been considered a charming, historic town. With its brick streets, fine architecture, and stately trees, the setting is idyllic.

Situated on the rolling prairie land of north central Illinois, Princeton began as a transplanted New England community. The first settlers arrived in 1831 as part of a religious group that had organized in the East before migrating to the new West.

The Hampshire Colony, as this Massachusetts group was known, included members of the Congregational faith, and they soon built a meetinghouse on the southwest corner of the Courthouse Square. In addition to religious services, the building was used as a schoolhouse, town hall, and courthouse.

Princeton was originally called Greenfield, but when the town was platted and laid off in 1832, officials decided to rename it. Legend states that the three town commissioners, John P. Blake, Roland Moseley, and John Musgrove, dropped their suggestions for a town name into a hat and a neutral party drew the winner. Musgrove’s choice of Princeton was selected; he was originally from Princeton, New Jersey.

In 1838, seven years after the first settlers arrived, Owen Lovejoy came to town to assume the ministry of the Hampshire Colony Congregational Church. He was an abolitionist who preached his views from the pulpit and harbored runaway slaves in his home. Unlike most Underground Railroad conductors who operated in secret, Lovejoy openly proclaimed his willingness to assist fugitive slaves. His home became one of the most important stations on the Underground Railroad in Illinois.

From these early beginnings, the town of Princeton experienced steady growth and development. Businesses circled the public square and headed north on Main Street as the population grew. When railroad tracks were laid a mile from the heart of town, a second business district sprang up. Surprisingly both areas were successful and still exist today.

Pioneer farmers thrived on the fertile prairie outside of Princeton and many became very wealthy. It was a popular trend for these farmers to dramatically change their way of life when they finally retired and passed on their land to the next generation. Gone were the long hours of work, the old and drafty farmhouse, and the isolation of living in the country. Retirement meant moving to town and building a large, modern home to enjoy their final years in comfort and luxury. Park Avenue was a favorite street for retired farmers.

By the mid-1900s, the combination of historic homes, a fine system of education, and New England influences earned Princeton the unique nickname, Boston of the Middle West. Promotional guides have always described Princeton as the ideal place to live. Over the years, the official town slogan has changed several times, from The City of Homes to The City of Elms, and today it is the city Where Tradition Meets Progress. The most recent guide sums it up well, Princeton remains a richly endowed and vital community, yet still solidly rooted in its storied past.

In this book, readers will have an opportunity to enjoy a postcard history of the beautiful city of Princeton. Postcards were first sent to share images of places and events that were important to a community. It is with great pride that we share them again with you.

—Pamela J. Lange

Executive Director

Bureau County Historical Society

One

STREETSCAPES

This early-1900s postcard photograph offers a view of North Main Street looking south from the Long Street intersection. Notable businesses on the west side of the block include the Knox Hotel, Priestley Hardware, and the Opera House building. On the east side of the block, the Bureau County Record building is partially visible. A careful look at this postcard reveals the various modes of transportation available in Princeton in the early 1900s.

Henry Immke’s bird’s-eye view of the north end of Princeton, looking south down Main Street, was taken from the top of the Knox Hotel on the northwest corner of Main and Ocelot (Long Street) Streets. On the east side of the street, businesses included C. N. Lohmann Groceries and Hardware and F. J. Leibiger jewelry store. On the west side of the block, a clothing store owned by Samuel Rosenstraus is in the foreground, and in the distance, the Immke Gallery of Art and the original Princeton High School building are visible.

The Immke Gallery of Art, a photography studio, was located at the southeast corner of Main and LaSalle Streets. As a successful pioneer photographer, Henry Immke operated a studio in Princeton from 1866 to 1923. This photograph from the top of his studio building shows Main Street looking south in 1872. Notice the plank wooden sidewalks and the narrow width of Main Street at that time.

One of the greatest conflagrations to occur in Princeton almost leveled the south business district. The fire began in the early morning hours of October 18, 1867, and burned for nearly three hours. It was confined to the east side of Main Street nearly to Columbus Street, but it still destroyed seven buildings and damaged six others. This picture postcard shows a view of a portion of the south business district built immediately after the fire. Businesses shown here from right to left include Richardson Brothers Hardware, A. Wiswall groceries, and Henry Charlton’s drugstore.

Henry W. Immke was listed in the 1877 Princeton Business Directory as a photographic artist who had a studio on Main Street near the depot. This 1869 Immke photograph, taken from the corner of Peru and Main Streets looking north, shows a view of the South End business district. The Richards and Vandergrift plow business is on the right, and the Eli Mathis Grocery Store (120 South Main Street) is directly across the street. Notice the bell tower on top of the two-story firehouse.

Samuel Rosenstraus and his wife, Sarah, began building this home at 218 Elm Place in 1889; it took four years to complete. Rosenstraus owned and operated a clothing store near the train depot at 1008 North