Mira, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mira, Illinois
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 Mira, Illinois
Location in Illinois
Mira, Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Champaign |
| Elevation | 692 ft (211 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 217 |
| GNIS feature ID | 422989 |
Mira (also known as Myra Station) is a small, unnamed place in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. It's not a town or city with its own government. Instead, it's an unincorporated community, meaning it's a group of homes or buildings without official town boundaries.
This spot was once an important stop on a train line called the Wabash Railroad. There was a large building called a grain elevator here. Farmers used it to store their crops before they were shipped by train. The elevator was taken down in 1986. Even though the train station is gone, the name "Mira" (or "Myra Station") still remains.
What's in a Name? The Story of Myra
The name "Myra Station" came from a local resident named Myra Silver. She owned a farm near the train tracks. Sadly, in 1903, Myra Silver was killed by a train at the station. This tragic event was reported in local newspapers at the time.
Over the years, the spelling of "Myra" sometimes changed to "Mira" on maps. This was actually a mistake that was never fixed! So, you might see it spelled both ways. There's even a neighborhood nearby called Myra Ridge. A memorial to Myra Silver has also been set up by someone living near the old station spot.
The Railroad and the Grain Elevator
The Myra Station grain elevator was built around 1881. It was part of a train line that ran between Urbana and Sidney. For many years, this elevator was a busy place where farmers brought their grain.
A man named Jacob G. Holterman first ran the elevator. Later, in 1903, Alfred Edmond Silver took over the business. He named it the Silver Elevator Company. The large concrete elevator building was finally taken down in 1986.
The train tracks that ran through Myra Station were used until the 1990s. After that, the train line was no longer needed, and the tracks were removed. Today, there's no train station or elevator, but the history of Myra Station lives on through its name.
