Arlington

History

Arlington was settled in 1843 and laid out in 1853 by James Waugh at the advent of the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad through the area. In the early 1900s, Arlington, which was then called "Lost Grove", was experiencing rapid growth and development. Many companies set up shop to profit from the people flocking to the jobs at the coal mines in this area of Illinois. The businesses included a mattress factory, beer brewery, numerous restaurants, a brothel, and many others. The mayor at the time was from New York, and changed the town's name to Arlington, after the town of Arlington, New York. Arlington was about the size of Peru, Illinois. On November 13, 1909, a fire in a mine shaft killed 259 miners, young and old, at the Cherry coal mine. Authorities sealed the mine to contain the fire, trapping many rescue workers inside. When the mine was opened a week later, only twenty men had survived of the hundreds involved. The 1909 Cherry Mine disaster influenced early workers' compensation laws and labor practices in the coal mining industry. At the time, Illinois had no laws governing working conditions for miners. Arlington's growth slowed drastically after this occurrence. In the 1950s a tornado destroyed most of Arlington. Many people moved away from the town at this time. Today, Arlington has a population of less than 200. Many of the businesses and most of the homes have been shut down, deserted, or demolished. Many areas previously inhabited are now corn and bean fields. Some of the abandoned homes' foundations, and evidence of their former occupants, are still visible in these fields.

Geography

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

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• John F Kennedy Elem School
  Elementary · Spring Valley · 608 students · 11.9:1 ratio
• Ladd Comm Cons Sch
  Elementary · Ladd · 202 students · 12.6:1 ratio
• Allen School School
  Elementary · La Moille · 94 students · 10.4:1 ratio
• Malden Grade School
  Elementary · Malden · 86 students · 10.8:1 ratio
• La Moille Jr/Sr High School
  High · La Moille · 83 students · 6.9:1 ratio
• Dalzell Grade School
  Elementary · Dalzell · 62 students · 12.4:1 ratio