Grand Detour, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Grand Detour
|
|
|---|---|
St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Grand Detour
|
|
 Grand Detour
Location in Ogle County, Illinois
Grand Detour
Location in Illinois
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Ogle |
| Township | Grand Detour |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.41 sq mi (3.66 km2) |
| • Land | 1.17 sq mi (3.03 km2) |
| • Water | 0.24 sq mi (0.63 km2) |
| Elevation | 656 ft (200 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 424 |
| • Density | 362.39/sq mi (139.95/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Postal code |
61040
|
| Area code(s) | 815 |
| FIPS code | 17-30705 |
Grand Detour is a small community in Ogle County, Illinois, United States. It's called a census-designated place, which means it's a special area defined for gathering population information. In 2010, about 429 people lived there.
The village gets its name from a unique bend in the Rock River. The river usually flows southwest, but near Grand Detour, it makes a sharp turn and flows north for a bit. This "grand detour" is how the town got its name!
Grand Detour is also famous because John Deere invented the steel plow here. His original home and shop, called the John Deere House and Shop, is now a very important historical site in the U.S.
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 424 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Contents
History of Grand Detour
Grand Detour was started in 1835 by a man named Leonard Andrus from Vermont. A year later, in 1836, his friend John Deere, also from Vermont, came to live in the town.
John Deere's Invention
John Deere built a house and set up a forge in Grand Detour. A forge is a workshop where a blacksmith shapes metal using heat. At first, Deere made tools like pitchforks and shovels.
In 1837, he created something amazing: the first successful steel plow. This invention changed farming forever! The first steel plow was sold in 1838.
Today, you can visit the John Deere Historic Site in Grand Detour. The John Deere House and Shop is a special place listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1964.
Growth and Change
Grand Detour grew quickly after it was founded. It soon had a dam, a sawmill, and a flour mill. There were also several stores for the growing community.
In 1847, a church was started in Grand Detour. Construction on St. Peter's Episcopal Church began in 1849 and finished in 1850. At that time, Grand Detour was considered a very important settlement.
However, things changed when railroads started to develop towns to the east and south. Many residents left Grand Detour, and the little stone church closed for almost 50 years.
St. Peter's Church Restoration
Around 1909, Grand Detour became popular with artists because of its beautiful scenery. Leonard Andrus's son, William, helped fix up the old church. Services started again, led by a priest from nearby Dixon, Illinois.
In 1999, a community group worked to restore the historic church. Now, St. Peter's Episcopal Church is available for public and private events.
Orson Welles' Connection
In the mid-1920s, a famous director, actor, and writer named Orson Welles spent his summers in Grand Detour. His father, Richard Head Welles, bought a small country hotel there. This hotel was called the Sheffield Hotel. It was built in 1865 and used to house workers from the plow factory.
Sadly, the Sheffield Hotel was destroyed in a fire on May 14, 1928. Orson Welles was just 13 years old at the time.
Welles later remembered Grand Detour as a special place. He said the Rock River circled around it, making it almost like an island. He described his childhood there as being like life in the 1870s, with no electricity and horse-drawn buggies. He recalled a country store with a ballroom above it, which had a springy floor for dancing. Welles called Grand Detour "one of those lost worlds, one of those Edens that you get thrown out of."
Famous People from Grand Detour
- John Deere (1804–1886): He was a blacksmith and manufacturer. He lived in Grand Detour from 1836 to 1848 and invented the steel plow here.
- Stan Hack (1909–1979): A manager and player for the Chicago Cubs baseball team. He ran a restaurant called Stan Hack's Landmark in Grand Detour and lived there until he passed away.
- Orson Welles (1915–1985): A famous director, actor, writer, producer, and magician. He spent part of his childhood summers in Grand Detour, staying at the Sheffield Hotel, which his father owned.
See also
In Spanish: Grand Detour para niños
