Long Point Village History

With the establishment of the Chicago, Pekin and Southwestern Railroad station in Long Point, the wheels were put in motion for the development of a new town. Alfred C. Huetson, County Surveyor laid out or surveyed the village of Long Point for Samuel Sillick, Andrew J. McDowell and Fawcett Plumb. The Plat was recorded Feb. 5, 1873 in the County Records at Pontiac. A. J. McDowell was the first settler in the Township coming in 1837. Samuel Sillick came in 1849. Fawcett Plumb was the Secretary of the Chicago, Pekin and Southwestern Railroad and was also in the real estate business in Streator.

The land laid out as the village was from parts of Sections 4, 5, 9 and were parts of the farms of Samuel Sillick and A. J. McDowell and also the John Garee farm part of which had been purchased by Mr. Plumb in connection with the setting up of the town. The Township plat of the 1870’s shows F. Plumb having 80 acres directly west and 80 acres north, which indicates that he was hopeful that the town might build up rapidly and need more land for expansion. The laying out of the village brought a rapid influx of peole interested in starting businesses or building homes. Peter Bennett built the first house after the village was platted.

Long Point Business in the 1870’s

The first store in Long Point was operated by Grable Brothers of Wenona. John Hossett had the first hotel and boarding house. It was later the Cummins Hotel and located just north of the Masonic Hall on the east side of the park. The James Graham family later. Dr. J. N. Markle came in 1873 and operated the first drug store in connection with his practice.

There was considerable building in Long Point during 1873 and 1874. A. H. Hupp (Bud) and his brother, John T. Hupp built the building which is The Masonic Hall and opened a business there. The Masonic Hall rented the second story of this building. In 1874, land was selling around Long Point for $35 to $50 per acre. Thirty new buildings were put up during 1874. Nathan Kinsey Hardware, Bradbury Harness and Leather Goods Dealer and Mrs. Markle’s Millinery Shop were all in business at that time. David Hallam was having the Streator Mfg. Company erect a building to be used as a saloon; Mr. Cummins had taken over the hotel; Samuel Sillick bought the store and left it in hands of son-in-law, J. D. Carson. John Garee & Co. had a general store and lumber yard. Mr. Garee was John Hupp’s father-in-law.

In 1876, there were 2 dry goods and general stores, 1 grocery, boot and shoe store, 1 harness shop, 1 livery stable, 1 restaurant, 1 drug store, 1 hardware store, 1 elevator, 1 commission merchant, 1 hotel, 1 millinery store, 2 lawyers, 1 doctor, 1 wagon shop, 2 blacksmiths, 1 billiard hall and 2 saloons. Reuben Outram of Kent, England came in 1876 and opened his harness shop.

1879 Merchants

The Livingston County History of 1879 lists the business men as follows: A. J. Bosserman, Station Agent; H. Beutke, Livestock dealer; August Deedrich, Blacksmith; Asa A. Graham, Lawyer; J. C. Huetson, Plasterer; J. N. Markle, M.D. & Druggist; Reuben Outram, Shoemaker; F. C. Swain, Wagon Maker; P. S. Swan, Section Foreman; George Steiner, Liquor Dealer; A. M. Taggart, Grain Dealer; T. H. Wheeler, Mail Agent; T. S. Wolff, Carpenter; Wetmore & Sons, Merchants; H. Werner, Painter; John Wills, Teacher; Walter Ramsey Hardware; and L. S. Halstead, Dealer in Livestock. B. F. Colehower came to Long Point in 1867 with his parents. He entered the general store business in 1882. The store was located on the south side of the park square and was still in use into the 1960’s. It was operated by a Hank Edwards, around 1950’s and then became R & R Grocery.

In the 1880’s Abraham H. States operated a tile factory. The land surrounding Long Point was rather flat and needed tile to provide good drainage. The factory operated until the early 1890’s. Mr. States died in 1895. Among the businesses operating in 1900, was a private bank, with the backing of the Moon family of Streator. B. F. Colehower was cashier for several years. In 1905 it became the State Bank of Long Point. Around 1930 it liquidated and paid off all depositors in full. With the approach of the depression, the officers felt it had ceased to be profitable to operate. G. F. Turner was President of the bank at its closing.

A cheese factory was operated by Mr. Burkhart in the early 1900’s. About the same time, William Wright built a mill on Clark Street just north of the Wheeler grain bins. It was later used as a blacksmith shop and torn down for its wood years later.

The Long Point Advocate was established first as the Ancona Advocate by George W. Mathis in the late 1870’s.Charles F. Allen bought the paper in late 1901 and moved it to Long Point. He was editor until his death Dec. 3, 1903.Charles Goldsmith bought the paper from the Allen family in 1904.

Sources of information

Long Point Centennial 1873-1973

History of Livingston County 1878