Annawan

History

Daniel Morton came to the area in 1846 and built the first log cabin. Gilbert Morton was the first child born here that year to Daniel and his wife Sarah. The following year a schoolhouse was built on the Morton property. The land the Mortons found was a swampy marsh to the north with higher ground to the south. Mud Creek meandered through the area and Green River paralleled the current Interstate 80 to the north. In 1850, a survey of the right-of-way for the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was made through Henry County. The selected route passed through the area inhabited by the Mortons and a few fellow pioneer families. In 1853, when the railroad was almost complete, Charles Atkinson and James Grant, owners of the land adjoining the railroad, plotted the town of Annawan. The town of Annawan, which some say was named after a Winnebago Indian Chief, was born. At the turn of the twentieth century, a new channel of Green River was developed, drainage ditches were completed and tile installed. This allowed the marsh north of Annawan to become productive farmland. With the completion of Interstate 80 through Henry County in the 1960s, Annawan began to grow at a steady pace, with various services such as restaurants and gas stations appearing along the interstate. By the dawn of the 21st century, several projects were planned in Annawan. The North Meadow subdivision was completed in the early 2000s as a community for retirees with a community center at the center of the development. A new interstate side hotel was also completed just off Canal Street adjacent to Interstate 80. Midway through the decade plans for an ethanol plant were made. Today, Annawan supports a variety of different businesses that serve Henry County and Interstate 80 travelers. As of 2013,…

Geography

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Annawan has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  1,044
• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  972
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  904
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  829
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  800
• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  764
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  751
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  610

Largest nearby schools

• Annawan Grade School
  Elementary · Annawan · 247 students · 13.7:1 ratio
• Lyle School
  Other · Kewanee · 181 students · 30.2:1 ratio
• Annawan High School
  High · Annawan · 105 students · 9.5:1 ratio
• Reg'l Safe School Program ROE #28
  High · Atkinson
• Excel Alternative Program
  Other · Atkinson

Most recent

• M 3.6 — 2023-11-15
  1 km SSW of Standard, Illinois
• M 4.2 — 2004-06-28
  12 km NW of Dayton, Illinois