Appleton, Illinois
| Appleton | |
| Unincorporated community | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Illinois |
| County | Knox |
| Coordinates | 40°56′10″N 90°09′40″W / 40.936°N 90.161°WCoordinates: 40°56′10″N 90°09′40″W / 40.936°N 90.161°W |
| Timezone | CST (UTC-6) |
| - summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 61428 |
| Area code | 309 |
  Location of Appleton within Illinois
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 Location of Illinois in the United States
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Appleton is a ghost town in Persifer Township, Knox County, Illinois, United States. Appleton lies approximately one mile north of U.S. Highway 150 and Interstate 74. Knox County Highway 12 runs from north to south through Appleton and the tracks of the BNSF Railway run east to west. Court Creek also flows through Appleton before its confluence with the Spoon River in Dahinda.
History
From the 1899 Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois, W. Seldon Gale & Geo. Candee Gale published by Munsell Publishing Company, Publishers, Chicago & New York:
"Appleton was laid out by the Hon. J. H. Lewis in the spring of 1888, on the S.E. 1-4 of Section 16. It is situated on the north side of the Santa Fe R.R. and is a station on that road. Mr. Wm. A. Iles has a store and a grain elevator. There is also a blacksmith shop and a Church of the United Brethren in Christ. Quite a large amount of grain and stock is shipped from Appleton each year."
Today
The site of the original town today is empty except for several streets that served the town. Appleton formerly had a post office, as well as many homes and businesses but was very prone to flooding. The size of the town shrank during much of the 20th century, and the final home located in the original town WAS relocated to higher ground to the south in 1997.RONALD AND DAYNA ZIMMERMANS RANCH HOME WAS THE ONLY HOUSE TO BE MOVED TO THE TOP OF THE HILL. IT WAS THE ONLY HOME IN GOOD SHAPE TO MOVE AFTER THE FLOOD OF 1993.THEY MOVED THERE IN 1970 TO RAISE THREE BOYS RONNIE,DONNIE & BRIAN ZIMMERMAN. IN THE 1980S THE TOWN ONLY HAD 10 HOUSES LIVED IN.THE OLD CHURCH STILL STOOD BUT RUN DOWN AND THE OLD STORE NEXT TO THE ZIMMERMAN HOME BURNED TO THE GROUND IN THE MID 1970S. IT WAS TURNED IN TO A HOME AND LIVED IN BY THE MANASMITH FAMILY AT THAT TIME.THE OLD TOWN HALL WAS STILL IN USE FOR VOTEING TILL THE NEW ONE WAS BUILT IN DAHINDAS TOWNSHIP BUILDING ON HIGHWAY 150.ALL OTHER BUILDINGS WERE GONE AS OF THE 1970S.SOME OF THE FAMILY NAMES THAT LIVED THERE DURING 1970 TO 1997 WAS RONALD AND DAYNA ZIMMERMAN ,COTTON AND MONA HOWARD ,AL AND VIKIE HAYDEN ,BILL AND SUE HANSON ,JOE AND SANDY MCKEE , DON AND JULIE PETERSON , BOB AND SANDRA WRIGHT ,WILLIAMS , POPLETS , FUISNERS, SPENCERS.
A volunteer fire department serves the Appleton area.
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