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Community of LeRoy
Roads & Railroads
McLean County, Illinois

(Transcribed by: Teri Moncelle Colglazier)

The first tractor purchased by LeRoy for street maintenance was purchased from Ed Guard. It was a McCormick-Deering tractor and cost $1150. Ordinance passed in 1891 required that all walks in the area called the original town be constructed of brick or stone. This consisted of 28 blocks. On April 9, 1894 an ordinance was passed for the sidewalk committee to purchase brick for the rebuilding of sidewalks in the business district instead of using boards. Previous to that the only brick walks built were in front of Keenan's Bank. This was done in 1892. At the regular meeting May 13, 1895 a motion was passed that the city hire a street superintendent. Prior to that the city marshal had handled those duties. There is no record as to who was hired for the job or what the salary was. The first concrete sidewalks were laid on the south and north sides of Center Street from City Park to East Street in 1904. An ordinance prohibiting spitting on the sidewalk was passed the same year. The first record of an ordinance governing the speed of automobiles was passed on May 27, 1909. Speed limit was 10 miles per hour, a fine of $10 to be levied for violations. The first record of any concrete viaduct was in 1909 when a concrete viaduct was built on Center Street at the corner of Center and Mill Streets. Contractor was the Nelson Concrete Company of Pontiac who also had contract to build several concrete sidewalks in the city. Cost of viaduct was $392. The first use of oil on the streets was in October, 1911. Oil was sprinkled on the street around the square or park. Work was done by Ed Beckham. Cost was $62. For several years prior Mr. Beckham had held a contract with city to sprinkle streets with water in dry dusty weather. The city council on January 8, 1915 held a hearing to pave Center and Chestnut Streets, the cost to be $75,975. The Center Street pavement extended from the first street west of the Big Four Depot and east to the corner of Dr. G. W. Wait's property (Park Ave.). The paving around the park is 27 feet wide. Also paved was Chestnut Street from Dr. J. A. Tuthill's residence on School Street south to the Big Four railroad. With the paving of Chestnut and Center Streets, new hitching racks were needed and leased for $50 per year for 20 years was the property west of the Bishop and Guard building belonging to Henry Brittin. Also purchased was property on Chestnut Street adjoining the Brittin lots which belonged to John Burns. The residence of John Burns, which he vacated Sept. 1, 1915, had been his home for almost 70 years and was the place of his birth on Sept. 25, 1845. (Part of the above pavement was covered with blacktop in 1972) In 1926 State Route 39 which is now U.S. 150 was completed through LeRoy and in 1933 State Route 136 was completed giving LeRoy and area residents good access roads. Today LeRoy is located on busy U.S. Interstate 74. [Heritage of the prairie : a history of LeRoy and of Empire and West townships, McLean County, Illinois (1976) LeRoy Historical Society; LeRoy Bi-Centennial Commission]

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