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Milestones in Kinmundy History
- 1823
- John W. Nichols, first township settler, arrived from Tennessee.
- 1829
- Abner Stewart built the first
cabin within the limits of present day Kinmundy. He operated a mill.
- 1837
- The first school house was built in the township. Samuel Whiteside
was the teacher.
- 1840
- Mt. Carmel, later known as the Kinmundy Cumberland Presbyterian Church,
was organized.
- 1856
- The rails of the Chicago Branch Line of the Illinois
Central Railroad were completed through Kinmundy.
- 1857
- The town of Kinmundy was laid
out by W.T. Sprouse. Several additions followed.
- 1858
- W.T. Sprouse built a saw and grist mill.
- 1858
- Dr. W.W. Elliott was the first Methodist minister to preach in Kinmundy.
- 1862
- Capt. W.T. Sprouse operated a recruiting office seeking volunteers
for the 40th Ill. Vols. for service in the Civil War.
- 1864
- The Masonic Lodge of Kinmundy was chartered.
- 1867
- The City of Kinmundy was incorporated, and the city government organized.
W.R. Hubbard was the first mayor.
- 1867
- The Kinmundy Telegram, the community's first newspaper, was established.
- 1868
- The Songer Brothers' Mill was erected.
- 1870
- The bank of T.W.Haymond and Co. was organized.
- 1870
- The building of a Catholic Church began.
- 1873
- The fire department was given legal status by ordinance and equipment
was purchased. It had existed since 1867.
- 1874
- John T. Donovan, prominent city and county citizen, began the practice
of law in Kinmundy.
- 1877
- The Kinmundy Mills long operated by C. Rohrbaugh, were constructed.
- 1884
- The first Marion County Soldiers' and Sailors' Reunion was held at
Kinmundy.
- 1885
- E.G.Mendenhall began operating the Park Nursery. He later edited a
monthly journal and was a long-time officer of the Southern Illinois
Horticultural Society.
- 1885
- The reservoir constructed by the Illinois Central Railroad is completed.
- 1886
- A five foot vein of coal
was struck at 867 feet below the surface. For nearly twenty years, the
mine was a major local industry.
- 1886
- A chapter of the Knights of Labor was organized.
- 1887
- The Building and Loan Association was established.
- 1892
- The population of Kinmundy was said to have been only 25 less than
that of Salem.
- 1895
- The Chicago, Peoria and Memphis Railroad sent the first train through
Kinmundy. It later became the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad.
- 1898
- The city park was laid out.
- 1899
- A new Electric
Plant was constructed.
- 1899
- R.P. McBryde established a private bank which subsequently became
the First National Bank.
- 1899
- T.O. Grissom published the "Express" semi-weekly.
- 1900
- The Christian Church was organized.
- 1903
- About one-half of the business district was destroyed by fire.
- 1904
- The first Baptist Church was constructed.
- 1910
- The two story brick school
building was erected.
- 1911
- The Soldiers'
Monument was ordered.
- 1912
- Illinois Central Railroad trains No. 3 and no. 25 collided
in Kinmundy on January 22.
- 1914
- The first of many Marion County Farmers' Institutes was held in Kinmundy.
- 1918
- Joe Downs of Kinmundy was the first Marion County serviceman killed
in WWI.
- 1918
- In order to improve the soil, Kinmundy farmers organize the first
"Lime
Club" in the state.
- 1920
- The State Bank was organized.
- 1921
- The first American Legion Post was established.
- 1922
- The state convention of the Epworth League was held in Kinmundy.
- 1925
- The Church of God was organized by Rev. Sam Miller.
- 1929
- The Parent-Teacher Association was organized.
- 1931
- The National and State banks merged.
- 1931
- The Egyptian Trail became Route 37.
- 1932
- Emil Meyer won the Corn Husking Contest.
- 1933
- E.O.Zimmer, cafe owner, was issued a beer license, leaving (?) Prohibition.
The city voted itself dry in 1935.
- 1940
- Another disastrous fire
occured in the business district.
- 1946
- The Kinmundy Womens' Club was organized.
- 1953
- Kinmundy built its own water plant using water from I.C. reservoir.
- 1953
- The Kinmundy-Alma Consolidated School District formed.
- 1955
- The Kinmundy-Alma Fire Protection District was established.
- 1961
- Erma Ingram commenced her dream project which became the Log
Cabin Village.
- 1989
- Kinmundy voted to become part of the South Central School District.
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Click
thumbnails for larger images and info pages
Images donated by Elwyn Cheatum, Dolores Ford Mobley and Irene Gammon.
Scanned by Dolores Ford Mobley and Gladys See.
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