Aledo

History

Aledo was established in the 1850s when the Great Western Railroad was extended to that point. It was briefly named "DeSoto", after Hernando de Soto, until the discovery of an identically named village in Jackson County. "Aledo" likely derives from John S. Thompson who, reportedly, saw the name Aledo (a municipality in Spain) in Webster's Dictionary. Development began in the 1850s, and the oldest surviving buildings date from the following decade. A post office has been in operation at Aledo since September 24, 1856. In 1857, the county seat was moved to Aledo from Millersburg after a countywide referendum. Aledo was incorporated on August 15, 1863. In the 1950s, the first Tastee-Freez in the United States was built in the downtown. The Downtown Aledo Historic District was established in 2016, with 75 contributing historic buildings in the downtown area.

Geography

Aledo is located in central Mercer County. Illinois Route 17 passes through the city center on Third Street, leading east to Viola and west to New Boston on the Mississippi River. Illinois Route 94 follows IL 17 along Southeast Third Street turns south at the city center onto South College Avenue. IL 94 leads south-southwest to Biggsville and northeast to U.S. Route 67 on the southern outskirts of the Quad Cities. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Aledo has a total area of , of which , or 0.51%, are water. }}

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  309
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  277
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  274
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  258
• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  245
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  239
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  235
• White-breasted Nuthatch

  Sitta carolinensis Latham, 1790 · Aves
  223