For a town it’s size, Danville has an astonishing breadth and depth of history. From the founding of the ol’ Salt Works and subsequent population explosion, to the heyday of the railroads, to the Dixie Highway, to booming industries, Danville and Vermilion County benefit from a prosperous past, even if today that prosperity is largely a thing of the past.
The Native Past
Native enclaves date back to the very beginning of the settlement period and beyond, as evidenced by the moundworks at Kennekuk County Park. Native tribes by the name of Kickapoo, Wea, Miami, and Potawatomie all called Vermilion County home. Danville itself sits directly on top of an ancient native settlement, with the people, place, and river all going by the name Piankashaw in the history books. So deep and heavy is the indigenous history in Vermilion County, that even Abraham Lincoln called it “Old Vermilion.” This history sadly ended in 1817 when the remaining indigenous peoples were forcibly removed from the region on the Potawatomie Trail of Death, a trail that – you guessed it – can be found in Danville and followed all the way through Vermilion County and beyond.
Lincoln’s Footsteps
Speaking of Lincoln, Honest Abe himself wandered our streets in his pre-Presidential days on the 9th Circuit Court. His writings often speak fondly of Danville and the time spent here, and numerous Abe Lincoln sites dot Danville and Vermilion County, with the preserved Fithian Mansion being the crown jewel of local Lincoln sites. You can even follow the old 9th Circuit route as it traverses eastward from Champaign County before turning south down Rte. 1 in Danville.
Lights, Camera, Action!
Danville also has a rich history of the arts, with Dick and Jerry van Dyke, Bobby Short, and Gene Hackman all calling Danville home. The historic Fischer Theater, a stage many legendary performers, including the van Dyke’s, have set foot on, has been restored to it’s former glory and only continues to improve. This history continues to this day, as Danville continues to have deep roots in the arts and humanities.
Railroads
If you like railroad history, Danville has you covered as well.
Point of Interest Trails
In the Footsteps of Lincoln Trail
Indigenous Trails – Trail of Death
Local Celebrity Trails (Van Dyke Trail)
Founder’s Trail
Railroad Trail