Totten Prairie, Illinois, Douglas County, is a ghost town that whispers tales of the past with its deserted landscapes and forgotten stories. Below is detailed information about the town.
County: Douglas County
Zip Code: Not available
Latitude / Longitude: Not available
Elevation: Not available
Time Zone: Central Time Zone
Established: Not available
Disestablished: Not available
Comments: Totten Prairie was once a small settlement in Douglas County, Illinois. The town’s origins and heyday remain somewhat elusive, buried in the sands of time and overshadowed by more prominent towns that grew around it.
Remains: Totten Prairie has scant remains, with few visible structures or landmarks to mark its existence. The landscape might still bear traces of human habitation, possibly in foundations or old pathways, but these are not well-documented.
Current Status: Totten Prairie is classified as a ghost town with no active population or functioning municipal services. The area is mainly rural, with the land possibly used for agriculture or left to natural reclamation.
Remarks: Totten Prairie’s story reminds us of the transient nature of settlements and the shifting dynamics of population and industry. While not much is left of Totten Prairie today, it once contributed to the tapestry of communities that dotted the Illinois landscape.
Its forgotten status invites curiosity and exploration for those interested in the history of ghost towns and lost places.
The 1879 History of Fulton County, Illinois contains the following entry for William Totten: When the red man was sporting over the prairie of Illinois and when the wolves were creeping through the forests, William Totten placed his family and effects in a one-horse cart in Ohio and found his way to Kentucky, thence to Indiana, and finally to Fulton Co., wherein 1823 he settled on the well-known Totten’s Prairie.
It would require a large volume to recount all the incidents of his frontier life in Fulton Co. Mr. Totten was remarkable for retaining peace with the Indians. When on the warpath, they would visit him, trade and sport with him, and leave peaceably.
He was the first settler in Cass township and settled on sec. 27. The widow of William Totten still lives on the old homestead with her son John Totten at the age of 84. John Totten followed the occupation of hunting for many years, raising grain that was needed for family use.
He was married in 1847 to Barbary Baughman. Their son, Michael P. Totten, was born in Fulton Co. on Oct. 18, 1850; he was educated in the common schools of this county and is a well-to-do farmer.
Miss Almira, daughter of John Totten, is but 13 years of age and is a remarkably good scholar. Mrs. Totten was educated in Ohio and came here with her parents in 1832. P. O., Smithfield.”
