What is the history of Harrisburg, Illinois?
Harrisburg was plotted as a village on 20 acres in 1853. It became the county seat six years later. In 1861, as it approached a population of 500, it became a town. In 1889, with a population of 1,500, Harrisburg became a city, with an aldermanic form of government. It adopted the commission form in 1915. The town was named for James Alexander Harris. He came to America with William Penn, the Quaker for whom Pennsylvania is named. Coal mining was one of the city’s biggest industries. In 1854, the first slope coal mine began operations southeast of the community. At first, the coal was carried by wagon to area homes and businesses and used for heating. After the Civil War, coal production became an important industry in the county. The first shaft mine was sunk in 1873 or 1874. This was followed by the creation of several more shaft mines and by an influx of settlers drawn to the area to work the mines. By 1906, the county was producing more than 500,000 tons of coal annually, with more
