Fairmount

History

Josiah Hunt, a railroad engineer, reportedly used inside information about the coming of the Great Western Railroad to purchase of land along the new route to found a town. He originally named the town Salina, but this was changed because of an existing Illinois town named Saline; Francis Dougherty, an early settler, is said to have selected the name Fairmount. The town was incorporated in 1863. Coal mining was attempted east of Fairmount, but this proved to be impractical because of water. Later, Jacob C. Sandusky discovered an outcropping of limestone in his farm, and quarries were established which at one time employed about 400 people. The quarries are now flooded and make a popular fishing location.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Fairmount has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,678
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,138
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  3,127
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,975
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,876
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  2,840
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,643
• White-breasted Nuthatch

  Sitta carolinensis Latham, 1790 · Aves
  2,602

Most recent

• M 3.26 — 2025-05-13
  7 km SSW of Lerna, Illinois
• M 2.5 — 2023-10-31
  7 km ESE of Linden, Indiana
• M 3.82 — 2021-06-17
  Illinois-Indiana border region