Waverly Historical Highlights
In April of 1830, Dr. J.M. Sturtevant first set eyes upon what we now know as "Waverly." He thought the location favorable for a town, and his influence probably resulted in the initial flow of New Englander families to this area. By, 1835, the area contained a half-dozen log cabins and a mill.
The settlement was joined that year by a Deacon Tanner and his family, after a three-week journey from Warren, Connecticut. They constructed a large log cabin west of the present city, and conducted religious services there. At about the same time, Cleveland J. Salter, a young businessman from New Haven, Connecticut, joined with a brother and two friends to purchase 5,000 acres in the southeastern portion of Morgan County. Their plan was to establish a theological seminary, about which a town would develop. By the end of the year, a brick seminary and a boarding house had been constructed; the seminary lay north of the present Congregational Church, while the boarding house was on the southeast corner of the town square.
Progress continued, and the town was platted on May 18, 1836 by Mr. Salter and his associates. One section (640 acres) was appropriated for the educational interest of the town, and a school building and boarding house were erected. The town was named "Waverly" by Mr. Salter after the "Waverley" of Sir Walter Scott's well-known novels. It was said at the time that "Waverly is the second town in size in the County. It is situated in a most beautiful farming country, has many fine public and private residents, and is inhabited by a moral and industrious people." By 1838, three schools had been established; the seminary and two private schools. The public square, donated by Mr. Salter, was surrounded by a rail fence until 1846; a few years later this was replaced by a plank fence, and the square itself was cleared of weeds and made more attractive. In 1847, the arrival of a stage route resulted in Waverly's first post office; residents paid 25 cents for each letter received. Within a few years, Waverly had doubled in size and become prosperous. This growth continued until the onset of the Civil War.
By 1856, Waverly was providing several active stations for the "Underground Railroad." Anti-slavery feelings were extensive throughout the county. During the war, two full companies were raised from Waverly and its immediate vicinity. When the war ended, prosperity returned, limited only by the absence of a railroad connection. This was soon rectified.
Waverly gained its first railroad in December, 1870, with the arrival of the Jacksonville, Northwestern, and Southwestern Railroad. Passenger service was to continue to and from Waverly until 1957. The town's first bank was also established that year, by Crain, Manson, and Company. By 1872, the railroad connections had opened up both grain and cattle markets in Waverly, and businesses continued to do well. Sheffield, Hutchinson, and Company had the city's second bank chartered in 1872, and the Bank of Waverly was chartered two years later. In 1877, the Exchange and Loan office of Wemple Brothers was organized, later to be known as Wemple Brothers Bankers. In 1881, a second railroad connected Waverly with Springfield; the Chicago, Peoria, and St. Louis.
On April 16th, 1878, Waverly made the transition from being an incorporated village to a city, with Henry M. Miller being elected as the city's first mayor. The city's first newspaper, The Waverly Gazette, was established in 1869.
In 1881, the Chicago, Peoria, and St. Louis Railroad was granted a right of way running north and south through Waverly. This line connected Chicago with St. Louis until the 1930's, and trains still ran to Alton until the early 1940's.
Electric service was started in Waverly in 1896. Power was provided by a 90 kilowatt steam- powered generator, during day time only. The Central Illinois Public Service Company bought the Waverly Electric Light Plant in 1913; a high voltage line was constructed from Auburn, the steam generator was shut down, and twenty-four hour electrical service was begun.
The Waverly Telephone Company was incorporated in 1898, with exchanges for Waverly, Franklin, Loami, and Palmyra.
Waverly constructed its original public library in 1913, using a $4500 Carnegie Public Library grant. Prior to that time, from 1880 until 1908, a group known as the Waverly Association had provided public reading and reference materials. In 1980, the original library building was provided with a new facade and nearly doubled in size. City mail service was established in Waverly in 1919.
Efforts began in 1930 to pave the road from Auburn to Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad facility, located just east of Waverly. By 1936, concrete pavement had been completed form Waverly west to Jacksonville, with the last gap on Route 104 (over the former C, P, & St.L. Railroad tracks in Waverly) being completed on December 6th, 1941. Pavement of Route 111, from Modesto north to Waverly, was also completed during this period.
Waverly formally organized the Waverly Fire Department in 1939, and the present fire house was constructed in 1954.
The city acquired and constructed its municipal gas public utility in
1955 with the issuance of mortgage certificates for the sum of $250,000. In 1960, the city authorized the construction of major improvements to the combined waterworks and sewerage system, with the issuance of revenue bonds in the amount of $333,000. These improvements included raising the spillway by three feet, enlarging the pumping station, and installing approximately 3,700 feet of 15'' sewer pipe.
The city's privately owned ambulance service was discontinued in 1972, leading to the formation of the Waverly Rescue Squad.
This page maintained by: Julie Samaras -
(wavpl@yahoo.com)