Vishnu Springs, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vishnu Springs
Ghost town, former resort
Vishnu Springs Location in Illinois
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	McDonough
Founded	c. 1880
Elevation	594 ft (181 m)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP code	62326
Area codes	217
GNIS feature ID	1721263

Vishnu Springs is a place in McDonough County, Illinois, that used to be a popular resort town. Today, it's mostly a ghost town with only a few old buildings left. It's located in a river valley in the western part of the county.

History of Vishnu Springs

Early Days and Healing Waters

In the 1880s, many people gathered in a river valley in western Illinois. This area is now known as Vishnu Springs. People believed the natural spring water there had special healing powers. They thought it could help with different health problems. Because of these supposed powers, the land was named after Vishnu, a god in the Hindu religion.

Building a Resort Town

Around the early 1900s, a man named Darius Hicks decided to create a town and health resort here. He divided his family's land into small plots and sold them for $30 each. The main building was a large, three-story hotel called the Capitol Hotel. It was built to attract visitors seeking the spring's benefits.

The town also had two stores, a blacksmith shop, and a restaurant. Visitors could travel from the nearby town of Colchester, Illinois by horse and buggy. Later, Hicks added more attractions. These included parks, a fishing pond, a racetrack, and even a schoolhouse.

A Sad Event and Decline

In the summer of 1903, a serious accident happened at the resort. A worker was checking the horse that powered the carousel. His shirt sleeve got caught in the carousel's gears. This caused a terrible accident, and the carousel stopped working. It was never used again after that day.

Despite all of Darius Hicks's efforts, the town did not become successful. It was hard for people to get there because there were no train lines or easy river routes. Hicks left the resort in 1903. After he left, the town was not managed well and began to fall apart. By the 1920s, most businesses had closed, and fewer guests visited. The town was mostly abandoned.

Attempts to Revive the Resort

In 1935, a man named Ira Post tried to bring the resort back to life. He promoted the area as a vacation and picnic spot. It had some success until Post passed away in the 1950s. Later, in 1968, Alfred White, Albert Simmons, and Irvin Minor tried to reopen the restaurant. They also hoped to make it a country music attraction.

In the 1970s, some students from Western Illinois University started a community there. They lived by farming and raising animals. They also held music festivals sometimes. However, the hotel was abandoned again by 1982.

Today, most of the original town is gone. The old hotel still stands, but it has been damaged by people and time. In 2003, the land was given to Western Illinois University. It is now used as a wildlife refuge and a place for nature study.

Ira & Reatha T. Post Wildlife Sanctuary

The land where Vishnu Springs once stood is now called the Ira & Reatha T. Post Wildlife Sanctuary. The Western Illinois University Foundation manages this area. It serves as a safe place for wildlife and a study area for university students.