The history of Jacksonville, Illinois, is a collection of traditions. A small town with a big heart, Jacksonville nurtures her traditions unconsciously. Delightfully renovated homes, physical
growth at two colleges, strong support of voluntary organizations, and excellence in education are some measures of the traditions that originated 175 years ago. Frontier Illinois was settled from the bottom up. Towns like Springfield, Jacksonville, Vandalia, and Kaskaskia sprouted in the early 1800s. Jacksonville was the destination for so many people
that, for several years, it had more...