HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY. TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY. Logan County lies south of the forty-first parallel of latitude and nearly in the center of the State. It is also almost in the center of the great producing portion of Illinois, that part from which comes such vast numbers of cattle, hogs, horses, sheep, and other domestic animals, and where great quantities of grain are annually raised for home consumption and for foreign shipment. The county is divided into seventeen townships, and contains 518 square miles. It is bounded on the east by DeWitt and Macon Counties; on the south, by Macon and Sangamon; on the west, by Sangamon, Menard and Mason; and on the north, by Tazewell and McLean. According to the area of its territory, Logan County contains a greater proportion of tillable lands of a superior quality than any county in the state. There is, in reality, no waste land in the county. The surface of the county is of a gently undulating character, covered here and there with beautiful groves of timber. These are in almost all cases situated on the borders of some stream of water, and were the places always selected by the early pioneers in which to plant their homes. From the summit of many of the slight eminences, found every where throughout the county, charming views of prairie scenery can be obtained. From these elevations one can see many miles in every direction, every where observing improved farms, supplied with every modern convenience, occupied by intelligent, prosperous owners, whose tasteful residences greet the vision from all directions. The finest views of these prairie scenes are usually at the early morning sunrise, or at sunset. In either case, as the light comes to the beholder, its flashes are reflected from hundreds of windows, causing the observer to wonder if there is not some fairy eastern city in the valleys around him. The principal streams of the county are the Salt, Sugar, Kickapoo, Prairie and Deer Creek, and the Lake Fork of Salt Creek. These, with their numerous tributaries, water all parts of the county, and afford drainage to all low lands therein. Of these streams, Salt Creek is the largest. It rises near Farmer City, DeWitt County, and after traversing that county in a westerly direction, flows through the townships of Etna, Chester, Broadwell and Corwin, and soon after leaving Logan empties into the Sangamon River. Its principal tributaries are the Lake Fork, which flows from the south, and Deer Creek and Kickapoo from the north, the latter of which rises near Bloomington and flows southwest until it forms a confluence with Salt Creek. North of these is Sugar Creek, which also rises near Bloomington and flows through the townships of Eminence, West Lincoln and Sheridan, and thence on to the Sangamon River. The soil of Logan County is unusually productive. It is composed chiefly of a dark vegetable loam, capable of producing abundant crops and needing but little dressing. Along the streams and on the high plateaus of land it is thinner and mixed with clay. Wherever this occurs, the productiveness is not so great. The character of the soil is much the same as that on the river bottoms, which, in some cases, as in Randolph and St. Clair Counties, has been cultivated more than a century without deterioration. The midland counties of Illinois have proved unusually productive and best suited for corn culture. Here corn is king. Counties on the river bottoms prove by experience to be best adapted to wheat, while those in the interior can not be excelled in the cultivation of corn. Other cereals are grown abundantly and to good advantage. The cultivation of fruit has caused considerable attention of late years among the rural population. Apples and peaches are not a sure crop, the climate being unfavorable. The smaller fruits grow abundantly, however, and are a source of much profit to many farmers. Grapes, especially, are produced lavishly and of an excellent quality. Raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, and others of a kindred nature do well. Timber has always been found along the streams, and occasionally a grove in an isolated position was discovered. The principal varieties of timber are oak and hickory, with a small undergrowth. But few trees now grow to a size suitable for lumber; hence the timber is useful chiefly in erecting sheds for stock or inclosures where sawn timber is not necessary. Every where throughout the county groves of shade trees and orchard trees have been set out, many trees of which have grown to a considerable size and afford comfortable shade, or yield abundant fruit. These are chiefly to be seen near and around the farm dwellings. AGRICULTURE. Logan County contains 393,087 acres of land, of which 321,709 acres were reported in 1870 under cultivation. This would give an average of over 500 acres of improved land, to each section. That same year there were reported in the county 2,531 farms, each containing an average of 134 acres. In 1877 the county clerk reports 362,087 acres improved lands, valued at $8,707,096, or $24.05 per acre. This gives 585.8 acres improved lands to each section, showing fully there is very little land in the county unimproved. This latter is mostly used for pasturage, and hence is not valueless land. The total valuation of the land is $9,087,782, or $23.12 per acre. The town lots and personal property in the county is returned by the same officer at $2,909,298; the railroad property at $1,070, giving a total of taxable property valued at nearly fourteen millions of dollars. More than five sevenths being agricultural property, showing that in proportion to its wealth compared with other counties, the percentage is strongly in favor of that pursuit. During the year 1874 there were grown in wheat 15,965 acres; in corn, 133,683 acres; in oats, 11,515 acres; in meadows, 13,883 acres; and in other field products, 4,252 acres. The number of acres, in pasture was 59,452; in orchard lands, 2,816; and in woodland, 26,894. The returns for the year 1877 |