Ever wondered about the village nestled on 400-million-year-old Silurian seabed? That’s Thornton Illinois.
Right here before you stands Thornton a village steeped in history. Its very foundation rests on ancient limestone once the floor of a warm sea. Imagine the prehistoric creatures that once thrived here. Long before the arrival of European settlers Native Americans called this land home. Archaeological finds at the Hoxie Site reveal evidence of an ancient fortification dating back to 1400 CE. Miami Blackhawk and Illini tribes all made this area their campground at various points. By 1674 the Potawatomi Ottawa and Chippewa had settled here. Their time here ended with the Tippecanoe Treaty of 1832. This forced the tribe’s relocation to Oklahoma. Most of their land was then ceded to white settlers.
William Woodbridge became the first white settler in 1834. He chose a spot on the banks of the then 40-foot wide Thorn Creek. This creek once flowed with clear spring water navigable all the way to Thornton. The fur trader Gurdon Hubbard played a pivotal role in Thornton’s early development. He and his friend John Kinzie platted the village in 1835. They named it after their friend Colonel William Fitzhugh Thornton a commissioner of the Illinois and Michigan Canal.
The Young brothers established a trading post in 1836. It was situated at Hubbard’s Trace near the old Vincennes Trail. They also built a steamboat to trade along Thorn Creek. Thornton’s first quarry opened in 1838 under Gurdon Hubbard. Sadly it was short-lived due to poor quality stone. Several other quarries followed south of Ridge Road. Some produced crushed stone others burned lime. R E Brownell bought the larger quarries in 1886. His company went through numerous mergers before Material Service Corporation took over in 1938. Today Heidelberg Materials owns the quarry one of the largest in the world.
John S Bielfeldt opened a brewery in 1852. It was in a log cabin he purchased from Hubbard. The brewery continued even during Prohibition. Federal agents raided it several times. After Prohibition the brewery changed hands several times before closing in the early 1960s. Today part of the brewery land is senior housing. The main building is the Thornton Distilling Company.
Thornton Township became the Village of Thornton in 1900. The old Township hall became the Village Hall. The Great Depression significantly impacted Thornton. The local bank closed in 1934. The Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration helped. They provided jobs building infrastructure including sidewalks sewers and the village library. The CCC camp later housed German prisoners of war.
From 301 residents in 1870 Thornton’s population exploded to over 4000 by 1978. Today around 2500 people call Thornton home. The Thornton Historical Society preserves its unique story. It’s housed in the old St Paul Lutheran Church. You can visit the museum to see fascinating Native American artifacts fossils from the Thornton Quarry and much more. Thornton a place of ancient history modern industry and enduring charm.