Grand Detour, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Grand Detour
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St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Grand Detour
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 Grand Detour
Location in Ogle County, Illinois
Grand Detour
Location in Illinois
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| 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)
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| • Total | 424 |
| • Density | 362.39/sq mi (139.95/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Zip code |
61040
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| Area code(s) | 815 |
| FIPS code | 17-30705 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2629859 |
Grand Detour is a small, special community in Ogle County, Illinois, United States. It's not a city or town, but a "census-designated place," which means it's a recognized area for counting people. In 2020, about 424 people lived here. The village gets its name from a unique bend in the Rock River. This river usually flows southwest, but here it makes an unusual turn to the north! Grand Detour is also famous because John Deere created his amazing steel plow right here. His original workshop and home, the John Deere House and Shop, is now a very important historical site in the U.S.
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 424 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Contents
Discovering Grand Detour: A Historic Illinois Village
The Story of Grand Detour's Founding
Grand Detour was started in 1835 by a man named Leonard Andrus, who came from Vermont. A year later, in 1836, Andrus welcomed his friend, John Deere, also from Vermont. Deere built his home and set up a workshop, called a forge, in the village.
John Deere's Big Idea: The Steel Plow
John Deere first made tools like pitchforks and shovels. But in 1837, he had a brilliant idea! He invented the very first successful steel plow. This new plow made farming much easier, especially in the tough soil of the Midwest. The first steel plow was sold in 1838.
Today, you can visit the John Deere House and Shop in Grand Detour. It's a special place called the John Deere Historic Site, managed by the John Deere Company. This site is so important that it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1964. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.
Grand Detour's Early Growth and Challenges
After John Deere's invention, Grand Detour quickly grew. The village soon had a dam, a sawmill for cutting wood, and a flour mill for grinding grain. Several stores also opened, making it a busy place.
St. Peter's Church: A Community Landmark
In 1847, Reverend Abraham Joseph Warner started an Episcopal church community in Grand Detour. At that time, Grand Detour was considered a very important settlement in the area. Construction for St. Peter's Episcopal Church began in 1849 and was finished in 1850.
However, Grand Detour faced a challenge. As railroads developed, new towns grew up to the east and south. Many residents moved away, and the little stone church closed for almost 50 years. In 1909, Grand Detour's natural beauty began to attract artists. William Andrus, Leonard Andrus's son, helped repair the church. Services started again, led by a priest from nearby Dixon, Illinois. In 1999, a community group restored the historic church. Now, it's a beautiful place used for public and private events.
Famous Connections: Orson Welles in Grand Detour
In the mid-1920s, a young boy named Orson Welles spent parts of his summers in Grand Detour. His father, Richard Head Welles, bought a small country hotel there. This hotel, called the Sheffield Hotel, was built in 1865. It originally housed workers from the plow factory. Sadly, the Sheffield Hotel was destroyed in a fire on May 14, 1928, shortly after Orson Welles turned 13.
Years later, Orson Welles remembered Grand Detour fondly. He said, "It was called Grand Detour because the Rock River circles there — it's almost an island." He described his childhood there as a "marvelous little corner in time." He felt it was like growing up in the 1870s, with no electric lights and horse-drawn buggies. He recalled a country store with a ballroom upstairs, where people used to dance. Welles remembered sneaking up there at night to dance by moonlight, with dust rising from the floor. He called Grand Detour "one of those lost worlds, one of those Edens that you get thrown out of."
Learning in Grand Detour
Students in Grand Detour attend schools within the Dixon Unit School District 170.
People Who Made a Mark in Grand Detour
Grand Detour has been home to several interesting and important people:
- John Deere (1804–1886): He was a blacksmith and inventor who lived in Grand Detour from 1836 to 1848. He created the famous steel plow.
- Stan Hack (1909–1979): A well-known baseball player and manager for the Chicago Cubs. He owned a restaurant in Grand Detour called Stan Hack's Landmark until he passed away in 1979.
- Orson Welles (1915–1985): A famous director, actor, writer, producer, and even a magician! He spent parts of his childhood summers in Grand Detour.
See also
In Spanish: Grand Detour para niños
