Jordon, Illinois facts for kids
Jordon, Illinois was once a small town in the middle of southern Illinois. It was located in Clay County and started around 1860. The town had a few important places like two blacksmith shops, a general store, a church, and other small businesses. The land for the town was given by William Jordon, and that's how the town got its name!
A Town on the Move
In 1920, something big happened that changed Jordon forever. Workers began building the first concrete road in the area, called "Route 45." This new road was planned to go all the way from the southern tip of Illinois up to the Wisconsin border.
The problem was, this new highway would be about half a mile west of Jordon. The people who owned businesses in Jordon realized that the new road would attract customers away from their town. So, they made a big decision: they voted to close down Jordon and move their businesses to the new highway!
How Jordon Moved
Starting in 1921, over about six months, many businesses in Jordon were physically moved. Imagine this: people used special equipment to lift their buildings off the ground! Then, they placed the buildings onto wagons and slowly moved them to the new area next to Route 45. It was a huge effort!
Not everyone moved, though. A couple of merchants decided to stay behind in the old Jordon location. But most businesses chose to relocate. Each business that moved was given a new piece of land. When all the houses and shops were settled in their new spot, this new community was named Hord. It was named after Jim Hord, who donated six acres of land for the new town.
The Church's Journey
The original church in Jordon was built around 1880. It was a very important part of the community. In 1924, a few years after the businesses moved, the church also made the journey from Jordon to Hord. It was carefully moved and is still used by people today!
Where Was Jordon?
Jordon was located in Clay County, Illinois. If you were to look at a map with exact coordinates, it was at 38 degrees, 55 minutes, 3.12 seconds North latitude and 88 degrees, 30 minutes, 56.89 seconds West longitude. Today, the area where Jordon once stood is mostly open land, but its history lives on in the town of Hord.
