Mattoon Illinois Community Profile

Community History
The chant rose above a crowd of 3,000 gathered on a beautiful June day in 1855. The community which grew on the prairies of east central Illinois had come to be known as "Pegtown", which referred to the pegs, or stakes, which marked the lots sold at public auction. The preference of the crowd was clear.

The town's new name honored Mr. William Mattoon, who helped construct the Terre Haute and Alton Railroad. The projected junction of this rail line with the Illinois Central in 1854 convinced local settlers that the land was an ideal site for a community. Swamp grass and prairie would give way to steel rails, homes and businesses.

With the westward movement of the railroads, Mattoon prospered and grew at a surprising rate. The first churches schools and businesses were established. The town counted more than 100 buildings by 1856. The following year, officials of the growing community started the steps to incorporate. In 1861, the final charter was adopted.

Between 1857 and 1858, the Essex House hotel was built, one of the most famous of the early hotels. In 1858, a relatively unknown lawyer and politician addressed a crowd from an east window of the hotel. His name was Abraham Lincoln.

The 1850's marked a period of growth in Illinois, followed by the turbulence of the Civil War. Mattoon was selected as the muster site for the 21^st Illinois infantry in 1861. In command was Captain Ulysses S. Grant. While strongly Union, Mattoon and neighboring Charleston had their share of southern sympathizers.

The end of the war brought renewed growth. In 1870, a third railroad, the "Decatur, Mattoon, and Sullivan" came to town. A building boom was on. The population reached nearly 4,500 by 1870. Business activity, fed by the three railroads, spurred home building in Mattoon and the surrounding county. Coal mining became a prominent industry.

Mattoon was becoming a well-rounded, diverse community. From 1897 to 1902 Mattoon became known for its street fairs and accompanying theatrical performances that attracted thousands of visitors each year.

The face of the town was unalterably changed in 1914 with the construction of the "million dollar ditch", which took the Illinois Central Railroad tracks to below street level and aided the orderly development of downtown Mattoon.

Manufacturing became an important part of the local economy between World War I and World War II. The discovery of oil in 1940 gave Mattoon's growth yet another boost.

Throughout its development, a key to Mattoon's prosperity has been its location in the great Midwestern farm belt. The rich, black farmland around Mattoon is abundantly productive. Corn is the number one grain produced with soybeans second, and wheat and other grains completing the balance on many large family-owned farms. Agriculture has played, and will continue to play, a vital role in the growth and future of the community.

Mattoon, Illinois is an ever expanding and a shining example of quality people, profitable businesses and superior education opportunities. Whatever your interest – industry, small business, health and education, raising a family or looking forward to retirement – Mattoon has it all, and more! Feel free to look around. We think you'll like what you see. Become a part of our future and …Make it Mattoon!

Location, Location, Location
The Mattoon area is centrally located between Chicago, St. Louis, and Indianapolis - three of the country's largest metropolitan centers - all within a three-hour drive. This excellent location places the community in the hob of our nation's population, industry, and commerce, and surrounds it with comprehensive transportation systems with links to the entire world.

More than 55 million people live within a 500-mile radius of Mattoon. Some 15 million reside within a 200-mile radius. Transportation by highway, rail and air are essential in maintaining contact for a strong and growing economy.

And Getting There . . .
Rail passengers are served by Amtrak, which operates over the Illinois Central and through Mattoon. The Coles County Memorial Airport is one of Illinois' finest commercial service airports, providing airline service to Chicago and charters to almost any location. For those who travel by bus, Mattoon is served by Greyhound Bus Lines.

Commerce
Money is the lubricant that keeps the wheels of commerce and industry turning. Mattoon has several excellent financial institutions, three of which have multiple branches throughout town, two savings and loan associations, and a few select employee credit unions.

Ameren/CIPS supplies both gas and electricity to the Mattoon area. Electrical service is also provided to customers primarily outside the of city limits by Coles-Moultrie Electric Cooperative.

Serving East Central Illinois since 1894 when the company first opened its doors as the "Mattoon Telephone Co.", Illinois Consolidated Telephone Company (ICTC) now Consolidated Communications provides an extensive range of telecommunications services and products. Consolidated Communications, a provider of integrated telecommunications services to business and residential customers in 10 Midwest and Rocky Mountain States.

Communication is key to a city's success. Mattoon's newspaper, the Journal Gazette, is published and delivered Monday through Saturday with a circulation of over 13,000. Radio stations WLBH-AM/FM, WMCI, WHQQ, and WXET broadcast from Mattoon to serve the area with a full spectrum of local programs and music to fit all tastes. All three major television networks plus educational television is received in Mattoon.

And Industry
Over the years Mattoon has been successful in attracting new industry. Companies, both large and small, continue to make a major commitment to the economic well being of the Mattoon area. Plant managers are extremely cooperative in meeting with prospective industrial employers to share their experiences with the labor market, education opportunities, and cooperative business environment.

To meet the demands of increasing technology in business and industry, the Mattoon community strives to insure that a quality education is being provided to students, including facilities to accommodate "distance learning". For advanced technical training, Lake Land College provides Associate Degree programs, continuing Adult Education programs and specialized training programs specifically designed for individual companies. Nearby Eastern Illinois University offers a wide range of baccalaureate and advanced degrees in business and technological fields.

True Quality Living
Increases in commerce and industry in the Mattoon area have created growth and additional housing. As many as seven new subdivisions have emerged in recent years, with more in the planning stages. New additions, both single family and multiple units, are continually being developed and expanded in and on the perimeter of the city. In the already established areas of Mattoon, there is a restoration surge to renovate many of the classic older homes. These renovations have caused the existing areas to increase in value and offer an appeal to the buyer who prefers the residential charm of broad avenues, big shade trees and a blend of the old and new in home styles.

Condominium housing is available for those who prefer ownership without the responsibility of maintenance. A number of new apartment buildings and duplexes have been constructed in response to the demand for young executive housing. More than 70% of the city's homes are owner-occupied. Whatever the housing need, local building contractors are in abundant supply.

Newcomers can rest assured that whatever their preference in housing, it will be within a few minutes to school, church, recreation and shopping facilities. Over 40 churches of all denominations speak to the religious needs of the community.

Mattoon Community Unit School District #2 provides an excellent basic educational program for over 3,500 students. The school district is a member of a distance learning consortium that was developed to provide for the exchange of courses between participating schools and colleges, and to facilitate pre-service and in-service staff development among neighboring schools. It is also the administrative district for the Mattoon Area Adult Education Center (MAAEC), which provides adult education opportunities through adult academic training.

In addition to the Mattoon School District, several parochial elementary schools are available to those families who prefer a spiritual atmosphere surrounding children's' education. Among those is the St. John's Lutheran School, St. Mary's Catholic School, and various Christian schools.

In September of 1903, with the financial assistance of Andrew Carnegie, the City of Mattoon opened its new public Library. In 1995, with over $2,000,000 in public and private funds, the library reopened the renovated and enlarged building. Mr. Carnegie would be proud of the more than double square footage of space of his original building that will serve the community well into the future.

In addition to its role as the community's telecommunications provider, ICTC is committed to serving the community and its citizens in other ways. Through its "Earning for Learning" (EFL) program, ICTC returns to 23 area schools 5% of residential long distance revenues. Since its inception in 1993, the EFL program has provided Mattoon schools with more than $242,527 (through February 2000). These funds have been used to meet our schools' growing needs for computer equipment and other educational materials necessary in modern classrooms. Each year ICTC employees, joined by some 3,000 volunteers from throughout East Central Illinois, host the Special Olympics Family Festival at Lake Land College. The one-day event, which began in 1984, now brings together some 1,200 Special Olympians for a day of games, special entertainment and food, and is ranked by Special Olympics International as "the largest event of its kind in the world".

Maybe the "special place" you have been looking for to start a business, raise a family, retire, or pursue a career is the friendly, welcoming atmosphere of Mattoon, Illinois. It is a place where lush green fields surround a community of well-maintained homes, wide shaded streets and congenial, caring residents.

Recreation
Mattoon is a prime example of a small progressive area supported in its many facets by warm and friendly people. It offers to all, and within minutes, excellent educational facilities, a church of your choice, recreational facilities, cultural activities, including the arts, concerts, lectures and theater, modern medical facilities, a library, restaurants and other necessities that one looks for and needs to maintain a full and satisfying living experience.

Basketball, football, baseball, and soccer leagues are well supervised for all ages. Almost 2,000 baseball and softball lovers participate in leagues, making Mattoon the self-proclaimed "Baseball Capital of the World". With that in mind, Mattoon hosted the first-ever "Cal Ripkin Babe Ruth World Series" in August of 2000.

For golfers, Mattoon Golf and Country Club has an 18-hole course open to its members and their guests. Meadowview Golf Course's 18-hole championship course is open to the public and Rogala Public Links offers a 9-hole course.

The Mattoon Area Family YMCA offers extensive programming for all ages. The indoor pool, gymnasium, and newly expanded weight room encourage participation for fun and good health.

For those who desire less physical activity, extension courses and crafts are available at Lake Land College and the Mattoon Area Senior Center. There are weekly bridge matches and away bridge tournament sponsored annually by the Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospital Guild.

Mattoon's two lakes not only furnish water to the city, but also many forms of recreation to its citizens – fishing, boating, water skiing, sailing, and camping are popular activities.

Festivals
Visitors flock to Mattoon the on the last full weekend of July each year to attend "Bagelfest". This family festival brings visitors from throughout the Midwest for the World's Biggest Bagel Breakfast, children's activities, races, contests, and notable entertainment. As many as 60,000 free Lender's Bagels are distributed, with toppings, at this annual event. New in 2000 – Bagelfest 2000 has moved from it's usual downtown location to Peterson Park. The shade from the wonderful trees and the park's accommodations made the festival even more enjoyable for the attendees.