Gilchrist, Mercer County, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gilchrist, Illinois
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 Gilchrist, Mercer County, Illinois
Location in Illinois
Gilchrist, Mercer County, Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Mercer |
| Elevation | 787 ft (240 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 309 |
| GNIS feature ID | 416190 |
Gilchrist is a small place in Mercer County, Illinois, in the United States. It is an unincorporated community, which means it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Instead, it's part of the larger county. Gilchrist is located about 2 miles (3.2 km) west of a town called Viola.
Contents
The Story of Gilchrist
How Gilchrist Began
Gilchrist was started by a person named John W. Gilchrist. This area became important because of a coal mine nearby called the Empire Coal Mine. Mr. Gilchrist and his family owned this mine.
A Mining Community
Many people came to live in Gilchrist because of the coal mine. At one point, as many as 300 miners worked there. In 1914, about 100 people lived in Gilchrist. The community had a few businesses to serve the miners and their families. There was a general store, a grocery store owned by F. A. Essley, and a restaurant run by J. H. Smith. Mail for Gilchrist residents came from the nearby town of Viola.
Railroad Connections
Railroads were very important for Gilchrist. They helped transport coal from the mine and connected the community to other places.
Early Rail Lines
Gilchrist was located on a branch line of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. This railroad line originally belonged to the American Central Railway. It ran from Galva, through Viola, and went all the way to New Boston.
New Connections and Changes
Later, in 1905, the Northern Division of the Rock Island Southern Railway also reached Gilchrist. This made Gilchrist a place where two different railroad lines met. In 1910, another branch of the Rock Island Southern was built from Gilchrist to Aledo.
Over time, the need for these rail lines changed. The Rock Island Southern line to Gilchrist was no longer used after 1952. Service from the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad to Gilchrist also stopped in 1986. The tracks were removed two years later, in 1988.
