Tazewell County

Mackinaw

A History in Pictures

Researched, written and donated by Steve Slaughter
   
 

Click on thumbnail for a larger image

The original Tazewell County Court House

1828 through 1831
At the time Tazewell County was being organized, the commissioners chose the settlement, later named Mackinaw, as the county seat.  Mackinaw was surveyed and became a municipality and the county seat in 1827. Supposedly Amasa Stout built this Court House for $125.
 
 

Click on thumbnail for a larger image

Pendergast Inn

1843

Click on thumbnail for a larger image

Vandalia Railroad west of Mackinaw

abt 1875

This is the Vandalia Railroad trestle located between Tremont and Mackinaw. The rail tracks have been removed but the trestle still remains in late 2008. Twenty-nine miles were constructed in 1872 at the value of $57,000 and was called Illinois Midland. It was later owned by the Illinois Terminal System.

 The Illinois Traction was later named Illinois Terminal Railroad and was built in 1907. All the grading was done by hand-operated shovels, plows. horses and mules. The traction system running through Mackinaw was terminated in February 1953.

 
 
 

Click on thumbnail for a larger image

Hearse Bridge

Yards west of the Vandalia R.R. Bridge

date uncertain

Click on thumbnail for a larger image

R. R. Bridge and Hearse Bridge

date uncertain

Click on thumbnail for a larger image

 

The second Christian Church Building

1875
 
 

Click on thumbnail for a larger image

California Mill

1879

The California Mill was northeast of Stout's Bridge and was called this because it was built by Sam Watson from the gold he mined in the California Gold Rush. Customers and farmers came from as far away as Funk's Grove and Armington, Illinois, with grain to be ground. Operators of the mill were Amos Steiner, William Outlaw, James Whisler, and John Viemont. The mill was washed away in the flood of 1880.

Click on thumbnail for a larger image

Dominic Fessler Home

1879

This was Dominic Fesler's house. He had the shoe store where he hand made boots and shoes