The principal cities in Woodford County are Minonk (2,070), which has important coal mines, El Paso (1,470), and Eureka (1,626), the county scat, at which Eureka College is located. Washington (1,630) is in Tazewell County.
Bloomington (25,768) and Normal (4,024) are the largest cities in McLean County. Bloomington has large railroad shops and a coal mine. It is the scat of the Illinois Wesleyan University. Normal is the seat of the Illinois State Normal University and of the Soldiers' Orphans' Home. Other cities in the same county are Chenoa (1,314), Lexing ton (1,318), and Le Roy (1,702). Gibson City (2,086) is in Ford County.
Clinton (5,166), the county seat of Dewitt County, is an important railroad center.
Lincoln (10,892), the county seat of Logan County, has important coal mines. It is the seat of the state school for feeble-minded chil dren. The Odd Fellows Orphans' Home is lo cated here.
Mason City (1,842) in Mason County, Mount Pulaski (1,611) in Logan County, Monticello (1,981), the county seat of Piaci. County, and Bement (1,530) are important trading points for their various communities.
The Sangamon River Basin is an important part of the region under discussion. A number of the cities already mentioned are within the basin. Along or near the course of the main stream are Decatur, Springfield, and Petersburg.
Decatur (31,140) is the county seat of Macon County.
It has important coal mines and railroad shops, and is the seat of the James Millikin University.
Springfield (51,678) is the capital of Illinois and the county seat of Sanga mon County. It ranks fourth in population among the cities of the state, being exceeded by Chicago, Peoria, and East St. Louis. It is an important railroad, coal mining, and manufactur ing center. The State Fair Grounds are located here. Springfield is known throughout the world as the home and burial place of Abraham Lincoln. The only resi dence ever owned by Abraham Lincoln is in Springfield at the corner of Eighth and Jackson streets. He purchased it in 1844. In 1887, after the death of Mrs.Lincoln, Robert Lincoln, the son, presented the home to the state to be kept as a memorial of Abraham Lincoln. More than 30,000 persons visit this home annually.
President Lincoln was assassinated April 14, 1S65, and died on the following day. His re
mains were brought to Springfield. The Lincoln monument stands on an eminence in Oak Ridge Cemetery. It was begun in 1869 and dedicated in 1874. Built by popular subscription, the monu ment and grounds have been presented to the state for pei manent care and custody.
On May 7, 1917, one month after the United States had entered the world-war, the French Commission to the United States visited Lincoln's tomb, and Marshal Joffre, the hero of the Marne, laid a bronze wreath, the gift of the French people, on Lincoln's tomb.
Petersburg (2,587) is the county seat of Menard County, and Virginia (1,501) is the county seat of Cass County.
Jacksonville (15,326), the county seat of Morgan County, is the seat of Illinois College and Illinois Woman's College. Three state charitable institutions are located at Jackson ville: the Illinois School for the Deaf, the Insti tution for the Blind, and a state hospital. Winchester (1,639) is the county seat of Scott County.
Taylorville (5,446), the county scat of Christian County, is widely known as the home of the School News, an educational magazine.
Virden (4,000) is an important center. Carlin ville (3,616), the county seat of Macoupin County, has coal mines, and it is the seat of Blackburn College.
Roodhouse (2,171) has coal mines. Whitehall (2,854) is an important. center for the manufacture of pottery and sewer pipe. Carrollton (2,323) is the county seat of Greene County.
Jerseyville (4,113) is the county seat of Jersey County.
greater number of villages and cities in the Illinois River Basin are located with reference to the needs of the rural population in their immediate vicinities.
Coal-mining adds to the importance of a number of the cities, but the chief centers of coal production in Illinois lie south of the Illinois Basin. A few of the larger cities of the region with good transportation facilities have established wholesale houses and important factories. The cities of the Illinois River Basin are dependent largely on the agricultural activities of the area, while the cities of the Lake Michigan Basin are almost wholly dependent on the commercial and industrial activities of the region.