Lowell, Illinois

Unincorporated community in Illinois, United States
41°15′02″N 89°00′38″W / 41.25056°N 89.01056°W / 41.25056; -89.01056CountryUnited StatesStateIllinoisCountyLaSalleTownshipVermillionElevation
623 ft (190 m)Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST)) • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)Area code(s)815 & 779GNIS feature ID412706[1]

Lowell is an unincorporated community in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. Lowell is located on Illinois Route 178, 4 miles (6.4 km) southeast of Oglesby. The town was laid out around 1830 by William Seeley. It once thrived due its location on the Peoria-Chicago Stagecoach Route, the waterpower of the Vermilion River and the coal outcroppings along the river bluffs. It developed several stores and taverns, a mill and a brick factory and a railroad spur that connected to the Burlington Railroad.[2] Its most famous resident was Benjamin Lundy, a fiery Quaker abolitionist who came to Illinois to be the successor of Elijah Lovejoy, recently murdered for his anti-slavery beliefs. Lundy published the paper, Genius of Universal Emancipation from Lowell.[3] The town declined and today offers river rafting.[4]

References

  1. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  2. ^ Bell Spitzer, Amanda (1991). LaSalle County: The Rivers and the Prairies.
  3. ^ "The History of Lowell, LaSalle County, IL". genealogytrails.com. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  4. ^ "Vermillion River Rafting".
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Municipalities and communities of LaSalle County, Illinois, United States
County seat: Ottawa
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