Liberty, Saline County, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Liberty, Illinois
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 Liberty, Saline County, Illinois
Location in Illinois
Liberty, Saline County, Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Saline |
| Elevation | 443 ft (135 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 618 |
| GNIS feature ID | 411981 |
Liberty (also known as Ingrams) is a small place in Saline County, Illinois, United States. It's called an unincorporated community, which means it's a group of homes and buildings that isn't officially a town or city with its own local government.
Liberty is found in Harrisburg Township. It sits on County Route 37, right near the southwest edge of the city of Harrisburg.
History of Liberty
Liberty was once a small farming community located southwest of Harrisburg. You can still find the Liberty Church and its cemetery there today.
Early Mining and Railroads
In 1873, an important event happened near Liberty. A man named Green Berry Raum, who designed the Cairo and Vincennes Railroad, opened a special kind of coal mine. This mine was called the Ledford Slope. It was the first mine in Saline County to send coal out by train cars. This spot became known as Liberty Crossing.
Liberty is surrounded by other places with interesting histories. To the south, about 3 miles (4.8 km) away, is the old mining community of Ledford. To the west is Dorrisville, and to the north is Buena Vista. Today, Liberty is also home to a new Junior High school building.
Founding of Harrisburg
Liberty played a part in the founding of the nearby city of Harrisburg, Illinois. In 1852, some people thought the main county town should be more central. So, James Alexander Harris, along with John Pankey, James P. Yandell, and John X. Cain, gave land for the first parts of the new town. This land was given to a special group at the Liberty Baptist Church. Soon after, the city of Harrisburg was officially started.
