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Visitors Guide to
Hull,
Milton, New Canton,
Kinderhook & Pleasant
Hill
Pike County, Illinois |
Hull
The
village of Hull was laid out in December of 1871 by David Hull,
Rensellaer Sweet, and William Bridge at the junction of the Chicago and
Alton Railroad and the Wabash and Quincy Railroad. The community sits in
the middle of the Mississippi flood plain and was under water during the
Great Floods of 1993 and 2008. Local history can be found at the Hull
Museum is located in an old bank building and is operated by "Hull
History Lives, Inc.". The museum features local memorabilia as well as a
library section with genealogical records, old clippings and other means
of tracing family histories. The Hull Livery Stable also belongs to the
museum. Visitation to the Hull Museum is by appointment.
Milton
After the Black Hawk war ended in 1832 and people from the South and
East felt that they didn’t have to fear attacks by the Native American
tribes from the Indians, there was a large influx of settlers into the
western portion of Illinois during the years between 1833 and 1837. This
was a period of intense land speculation and the majority of towns were
laid out during this time, including the town of Milton. Milton was
platted by Freeman Tucker in 1835 about 12 miles southeast of Pittsfield
upon a beautiful prairie. Milton grew as a typical rural town with
various merchant buildings situated around a beautiful little square
along with churches and schools. Present day Milton celebrates their
rural heritage with a fall festival centered around the old bandstand in
the square. Bandstands were common in the communities of Pike County but
Milton’s is one of the few that survives. The festival provides plenty
of family oriented fun and you won't find a better roast pork sandwich
than the ones they serve from roasted whole hogs.
New Canton
The
town of New Canton sits at the base of the Mississippi River bluffs in
the flood plains in Pleasant Vale Township in northwestern Pike County.
The first Europeans in the area were John Wood and Willard Keyes who
made the first improvements in the area. Both Woods and Keyes would
later move farther north, with Woods becoming the founder of Quincy and
later Governor of Illinois. The early settlers faced many hardships, one
of which was prairie fires which were set by the local tribes in the
fall to drive game into traps. The farmers had to clear strips of land
around their homes and fields and set backfires when the prairie fires
threatened their homesteads. The town of New Canton was platted in 1835
by Charles T. Brewster, Hiram Smith, and Jesse Tittsworth and soon
became a typical Illinois farming community with stores, blacksmith
shops, flour mills and other similar businesses. During the Great
Depression a Civilian Conservation Corps camp was located about a mile
north of New Canton. Projects worked on were parks, levees, and the
water system for Kinderhook. The Great River Road (IL-96) passes through
New Canton and the town celebrates the local harvest with an annual fall
festival. During the weekend of the Fall Color Drive there is cider and
apple butter being made in the park.
Perry
Perry was laid out in 1836 by Joseph S. King and at first was named
Booneville in honor of famous Kentucky frontiersman. It was first
settled by Kentuckians and later by immigrants from the eastern seaboard
states. The town was later renamed Perry after Commander Perry who
became a national hero after he defeated the British at the Battle of
Lake Erie during the War of 1812. Perry’s history can be found at the
Dexter School, located two miles west of town. The school is named after
Darius Dexter who donated the land and is furnished with old-time desks
and fixtures and there are items such as old books and wall maps. The
school is open during Fall Color Drive each year or by appointment.
Perry was the birthplace of Mary Baird, the only daughter of a
prosperous merchant in Perry who married William Jennings Bryan. Bryan
was a supporter of popular democracy, the Democratic Party nominee for
President three times, and one of the most popular speakers in American
history. The earliest known presentation of Bryan's famous 'Cross of
Gold' speech was at a church social at the Perry Presbyterian Church.
There is a marker commemorating the event.
Pleasant Hill
Pleasant Hill is a community located on the Great River Road (IL-96) in
southeastern Pike County. The town was laid out by Eli and Charles
Hubbard and John McMullen in 1836 and was incorporated in 1869. Pleasant
Hill is the site of the Pike County Fair which is held during the third
week of July and has all the attractions one would expect from a
traditional county fair. The Fair features a tractor pull, carnival
attractions, a talent show, a queen contest. There is also a top rated
society horse show and a demolition derby. The Fourth of July
Celebration held here is a patriotic, family-fun event that concludes
with a tremendous display of fireworks. The Harmon House Museum was left
to the city of Pleasant Hill by the late Helen Harmon and through the
generosity of the Harmon Estate and the residents of the Pleasant Hill
area, the Harmon House has became one of the highlights of southern Pike
County. Inside the museum, one
can find a vast amount of Pleasant Hill and Pike County history. The
museum is open during the Pike County Fall Color Drive and by
appointment.
www.pleasanthillil.org
The official website of the town of Pleasant Hill. This web site has
detailed information about the town, the things to do, and
local events.
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