Benjaminville, Illinois, McLean County, is an enchanting ghost town situated in the heart of Illinois. Once a thriving community, Benjaminville now stands as a silent symbol of the passage of time and the shifting sands of history. Below is detailed information about the town.
County: McLean County
Zip Code: Not available
Latitude / Longitude: 40.5825° N, 88.8347° W
Elevation: Approximately 787 feet (240 meters)
Time Zone: Central Time Zone (CT)
Established: 1856
Disestablished: Not officially disestablished, but largely abandoned by the early 20th century
Comments: Benjaminville was founded by Quakers who migrated from Ohio and Pennsylvania. It thrived as an agricultural community, focusing on grain and livestock farming. The town was named after Benjamin, a prominent resident who contributed greatly to its development.
The village of Benjaminville, Illinois, was founded in McLean County, Illinois, United States, during the 1850s by Quaker farmers. Like many others who came to Illinois, they were looking to take advantage of the rich prairie soil.
The town’s settlement centered on the Society of Friends and the meeting house that was first constructed there in 1859.
Remains: The most notable remnant is the Benjaminville Friends Meeting House and its adjoining cemetery, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1874, the meeting house is a key historical site that offers a glimpse into the town’s Quaker heritage.
Current Status: The area where Benjaminville once flourished is now mainly farmland, with only a few structures remaining to mark its existence. Due to the absence of a functioning community, it is considered a ghost town.
The members of the Society of Friends Benjaminville meeting often took political stances on issues of the day. These included peace, Indian affairs, women’s suffrage, and the evils of boxing, lotteries, and gambling.
Throughout the 19th century, Benjaminville was home to a distinct local community of considerable political importance. Benjaminville never grew large, though it contained at least two churches besides the meeting house and a few shops.
By 1870, the town’s fate was sealed when the Lake Erie Railroad opted to bypass the town because of the elevation of its terrain. The local churches eventually moved closer to the new railroad,d and the town’s businesses shut down.
In 1981, the only remaining structure, an old wagon shop, was destroyed by fire, leaving the meeting house as the town’s last remnant.
Remarks: Though Benjaminville no longer bustles with the activity it once knew, the serene landscape and historic meeting house continue to attract visitors interested in exploring the region’s past.
The town’s story poignantly reminds us of the many small communities that once dotted the American landscape, now reduced to echoes of history.
Benjaminville was founded in 1856 when three Quaker families arrived: Joseph Marot, Isaac Clement, and Timothy Benjamin. The settlement followed and was closely tied to the Society of Friends and the local church.
The town grew gradually; 1859 the first Meeting House was erected for US$1,000, and a burial ground was established soon after. Through the 1860s, a steady stream of Quakers moved to the area.
In 1874, the Benjaminville Friends Meeting House was erected, the only structure still extant in the town of Benjaminville. Settlement continued through the 1870s, and Benjaminville became a social, political, and religious hub for Friends from Illinois.
An 1879 history of McLean County called Benjaminville “one of the strongest settlements of Friends that is to be found anywhere in the state.”
