Page Contents for Dawson, Illinois

Statistics & Facts

History & History-related items

Historical Events

Miscellany

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Statistics & Facts

The Illinois state capital is Springfield.
The population of Dawson is approximately 466 (2000), 509 (2010).
The approximate number of families is 201 (1990), 213 (2010).
The amount of land area in Dawson is 2.256 sq. kilometers.
The amount of surface water is 0 sq kilometers.
The distance from Dawson to Washington DC is 709 miles.
The distance to the Illinois state capital is 11 miles. (as the crow flies)
Dawson is positioned 39.85 degrees north of the equator and 89.46 degrees west of the prime meridian.

History & History Related Items

Dawson was located near an old Indian trail, the general course of which was from Clear Lake, Illinois to Buffalo Hart, Illinois as the main Campground was just south of Buffalo Hart.

The village of Dawson was named after Hon. John Dawson, a member of the "Long Nine." Mr. Dawson was Captain of a Co. from Sangamon Co. in the Blackhawk War of 1831 and 1832. John Dawson and Abe Lincoln were two of the Nine men mentioned in the "Long Nine." Dawson was incorporated in 1883. At a meeting of the town council on Sept. 3, 1883, the petition of the Citizens of the Village held the first election to elect a Mayor, T. W. Bracken and two trustees, Duncan Ross and Abner Wheeland. A town Clerk, A, N. Jones, was also elected at that time. We now have a government consisting of a Mayor, six trustees, Village clerk, treasurer and Water Company Supervisor. We are sole owners of our Water system which over the period of years has spread throughout the country area south and west along the Mechanicsburg Blacktop.

In our early days there was a booming mining town with three grocery stores, a church, a school house, a blacksmith shop, barber shop and post office. The Wabash railroad ran along the south side of our Village. To the west of the depot was the stock yard to which the farmers used to send their herds. During WW 11, the troop trains would run through and the children of the Village would run up and wave to the soldiers as they went by.
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Dawson Historical Events

2001
The Kitchens
I have lived here my entire life (66). I was born here in the Village. My maiden name was Kitchen. At one time there were eight families of Kitchens in the village. Believe it or not, there was one in every household. (just a little town joke)
Submitted by Joan Kitchen Davis, current Village Trustee in Dawson. Dawson

Miscellany

The population of Dawson was:
1990 - 536
2000 - 466