Quincy, Illinois

Quincy, known as the Gem City, is a city located in Adams County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 40,366. It is the county seat of Adams County{{GR|6}}.

History

Quincy sits on the banks of the Mississippi River, at the westernmost point in Illinois. The site was home to Sauk, Fox and Kickapoo Native American tribes. Quincy?s founder, John Wood, came west from Moravia, New York in 1818 and settled in the Illinois Military Tract. Wood purchased 160 acres from a veteran for $60 and the next year became the first settler in what was originally called "Bluffs," and by 1825 would be known as Quincy. Wood was later elected Lieutenant Governor of Illinois in 1856 and became Governor in 1860 upon the death of elected Governor William Henry Bissell.

Related Topics:
Mississippi River - Illinois - Sauk - Fox - Kickapoo - Native American - Tribes - John Wood - Moravia, New York - 1818 - Illinois Military Tract - Veteran - 1825 - Lieutenant Governor of Illinois - 1856 - Governor - 1860 - William Henry Bissell

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In 1825 Quincy became the Adams County seat, both named in honor of the newly-elected U.S. President, John Quincy Adams.

Related Topics:
U.S. President - John Quincy Adams

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Five thousand members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Mormons, were driven from their homes in Missouri and arrived in Quincy during the winter of 1838-1839. Though vastly outnumbered by the new arrivals, the residents of Quincy provided food and shelter for the Mormons until Joseph Smith led his followers 40 miles up river to the settlement of Nauvoo.

Related Topics:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - Mormons - Missouri - 1838 - 1839 - Joseph Smith - Miles

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Quincy?s earliest settlers, primarily from New England in origin, were joined by a wave of German immigrants in the 1840s. The new residents brought with them much needed skills for the expanding community.

Related Topics:
New England - German - Immigrants - 1840s - Community

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The matter of slavery was a major religious and social issue in Quincy?s early years. The Illinois city?s location, separated only by the Mississippi River from the slave state of Missouri, made Quincy a hotbed of political controversy. Dr. Eells House, at 415 Jersey, was considered station number one on the Underground Railroad from Quincy to Chicago.

Related Topics:
Slavery - Underground Railroad - Chicago

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Father Augustine Tolton became the nation's first black priest when he was ordained on April 24, 1886. He celebrated Mass for the first time in Quincy on July 18, 1886.

Related Topics:
Augustine Tolton - Priest - April 24 - 1886 - July 18

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Quincy grew rapidly in the 1850s. In the 1850s steamboat arrivals and departures made Quincy?s riverfront a beehive of activity. Quincy was a site for the sixth Senatorial debate by U.S. Senator Stephen A. Douglas and his challenger, Abraham Lincoln. Quincy was the largest city in which Lincoln and Douglas appeared.

Related Topics:
1850s - Steamboat - Debate - Senator - Stephen A. Douglas - Abraham Lincoln

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The Civil War brought increasing prosperity to Quincy. By 1870, Quincy passed Peoria to become the second largest city in Illinois. A massive railroad bridge across the Mississippi River had been completed, and Quincy was linked by rail to Omaha, Nebraska, Kansas City and points west.

Related Topics:
Civil War - 1870 - Peoria - Railroad - Bridge - Omaha, Nebraska - Kansas City

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Twice recognized as an All-American City, Quincy has a vast collection of some of the most impressive architecture of any community in Illinois, including several Gothic style churches. The Villa Kathrine, a Moroccan castle situated on the river bluffs, is a unique example of Mediterranean architecture in the Midwest. The city is home to Quincy University, a Catholic Franciscan College founded in 1860, John Wood Community College, as well as a technical college and the Blessing-Riemann College of Nursing. The city is also home to several museums, an extensive park system, several manufacturing companies, high tech & telecommunications companies and a large health care system.

Related Topics:
All-American City - Architecture - Gothic - Moroccan - Castle - Mediterranean architecture - Midwest - Quincy University - Catholic - Franciscan - College - 1860 - John Wood Community College - Technical college - Museums - Park

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Quincy is the birthplace and childhood home of silent & sound film actress Mary Astor.

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During the Flood of 1993, Quincy suffered a terrible loss. Bridges were forced to close due to the rising Mississippi River. The Quincy Bridge survived most of the hardships, but did close down because the levee broke. Before its closure, Quincy had the only opened bridge within 100 miles; the closest bridge was Saint Louis or the Quad Cities.

Related Topics:
Flood of 1993 - Mississippi River - Saint Louis - Quad Cities

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