Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, May 28, 2021
OGLE COUNTY NEWS
6
LOCAL HISTORY
Davis laid out the town of Davis Junction in 1877 Editor’s note: Otto Dick, Oregon, has researched the people, places and events important in the Oregon area’s history for the Ogle County Historical Society. The following is one of a series of the articles he has written.
By OTTO DICK
D
avis Junction is a village located on Route 72 three miles East of Stillman Valley. It is located where the Illinois Railway, Rockford line to Rochelle and the Canadian Pacific Chicago railroads intersect. The population in 2000 was 491, in 2019 the estimated population was 2,344. This growth is due to a large Davis Junction Subdivision located south of the Canadian Pacific Railroad. (The site of the large Orchard Hill Landfill is located in Scott Township.) Davis Junction is named after Jeremiah Davis. Jeremiah Davis located in Scott Township in 1862. He purchased 329 acres and moved there in 1858. He later purchased an additional 880 acres for a total of 1,200 acres. Jeremiah traveled overland to Galena to purchase land at the Land Office. In 1875 Jeremiah laid out the first section of Davis Junction by the proposed Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. He contributed $4,000 for the grading of this railroad and also donated his property to the Chicago and Iowa Railroad Company whi ch buil t a bra nch lin e from Rochelle to Rockford. He laid out the town of Davis Junction in 1877. Early settlers located around Beacon School and Beacon Post Office. A stage coach line ran from Rockford and Rochelle. At first one trip a week was made each way. Before the Beacon Post Office was established the early settlers of Davis Junction traveled to Lindenwood for the mail for themselves and their neighbors. The Village of Davis Junction Town Hall is a historic building now used by the Historical Society. This building was probably constructed one year after Davis Junction was founded. Jeremiah Davis moved the school house north of town to make room for
Images provided by Otto Dick
ABOVE RIGHT: Jeremiah Davis laid out the town of Davis Junction in 1877. BELOW LEFT: The Historical Society is located in the old Town Hall building. BELOW RIGHT: Davis Junction’s water tower features a steam engine.
the Town Hall building. This building was used for town meetings and elections, which were previously held in schoolhouses. One interesting event was that a dance club leased the hall but an anti-dance group forbid them from holding a dance there. When the dance proceeded anyway the anti=dance group pumped sulfuric gas into the hall. The dancers returned to the hall later that day. Today the Town Hall Sign displays the logo for the Davis Junction Historical Society, A Past To Honor, A Heritage
to Preserve. A wonderful six foot tall memorial marker is located at Jeremiah Davis Memorial Park at the north edge of Davis Junction. This marble Veterans Memorial weights seven tons and took approximately a year to carve. At each end of the memorial are two soldiers, one facing downward reflecting on the past and one looking forward to the future. They are dressed in combat gear. On July5, 2014 a dedication ceremony was held. Driving through Davis Junction
you will be reminded that this was a railroad town and Jeremiah Davis was the founder. The water tower with the steam engine is our favorite decorated water tower. On Route 72 is a tribute to Jeremiah Davis carved into a large white stone. It reads (When Jeremiah and Jane Davis purchased 120 acres of land in this Scott Township in 1868 and moved here in 1859 there was not a house to be seen from any portion of this land. Later he added 880 acres. Filing of the plot for the town – June 12, 1875
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