Paxton is a city in and the county seat of Ford County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,450 at the 2020 census.

History

thumb|Paxton, Illinois post office.

Paxton was laid out in 1857 as Prospect City along the Illinois Central Railroad for Leander Britt, Ransome R. Murdock and William H. Pells. This was in what was at the time Prairie City Township, Vermilion County, Illinois. However, as Dr. Wilbur W. Sauer wrote, that residents noted the town was "all prospect and no city." In 1859 Ford County, Illinois was created, and later that year Prospect City was renamed for Sir Joseph Paxton, architect of the Crystal Palace. Mr. Paxton was a major shareholder in the Illinois Central Railroad, which in 1856 was the longest span of railroad in the world (Chicago to Cairo). It was rumored that Paxton was interested in organizing an English settlement in Illinois. The school is a member of the IESA and IHSA for interscholastic sports and activities.

The Ford County Courthouse in Paxton was built in 1906, and boasts many murals painted by the Works Progress Administration during the 1930s.

On June 22, 1919, former President William Howard Taft visited Paxton while on his way to Champaign. After disembarking from a long train ride, Taft delivered a speech in the Pells Park Pavilion in favor of U.S. entry into the newly formed League of Nations. Taft's appearance is a testament to the Paxton Chautauqua, which was held in Pells Park from 1905 to 1930, attracting musicians, speakers and entertainment from all over the United States.

From 1865 to 2007, the Paxton Daily Record was published in Paxton, making the paper one of the longest-running daily newspapers of its size in the state of Illinois. Today, the Ford County Chronicle, a digital publication managed by the former paper's staff, continues to publish local news, sports and other event information.

Due to Paxton having the highest elevation points in the area, the Illinois Central Railroad dug out ground so that the railroad could move at the same elevation, but below the level of the city of Paxton. When the railroad was cut (around the 1920s), several bridges were built across the railroad to connect the east and west sides of Paxton. Presently, there are three vehicular bridges, which are located at Holmes Street, Pells Street and Patton Street, and a pedestrian bridge at Orleans Street.

The town also hosts the Historic Brick Water Tower & Ford County Historical Society Museum, which opened on July 4, 2007. The tall brick water tower was built in 1887 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Paxton Foundation, a local historical preservation group, is currently(when?) restoring the Old Ford County Jail and Sheriff's Residence, built in 1871. Located on West State Street adjacent to the Courthouse, it will be turned into a museum. Another local building on the National Register of Historic Places is the Paxton Carnegie Library, which was built in 1903.

The community has many homes built in the late 19th century, some of which are now part of an historic homes walking tour. Many of the home owners have won awards from various preservation and restoration societies for their efforts in maintaining the architectural heritage of these important landmarks. The Paxton Area Chamber of Commerce and PRIDE in Paxton, a member of the Illinois Main Street Program, promote local businesses and events in the historic downtown district.

Geography

thumb|Paxton has several bridges over the [[Canadian National (Illinois Central) mainline.]]

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Paxton has a total area of , of which (or 99.77%) is land and (or 0.23%) is water.

Paxton is directly served by three major highways (I-57, U.S. Route 45, and Illinois Route 9), the Illinois Central Railroad, and a municipal airport with a landing strip.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Paxton had a population of 4,450, 1,794 households, and 1,075 families. The population density was , and there were 1,999 housing units at an average density of .

Of the city's 1,794 households, 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.3% were married-couple households, 18.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 2.34.

  • Mush March (1908–2002), player for 1934 and 1938 Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks
  • Tom Meents (born 1967), champion monster truck driver; lives in Paxton.
  • Sid Mercer (1880–1945), sportswriter who covered boxing and baseball
  • Gina Miles (born 2003) singer, winner of The Voice.
  • George E. Morrow (1840–1900), agronomist
  • William H. Plackett (1937–2016), Master Chief Petty Officer of the U.S. Navy.

References

  • City of Paxton
  • Paxton-Buckley-Loda School District
  • Paxton Park District
  • Paxton Area Chamber of Commerce