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City Of Morris
History:
Morris had its first log cabin at Jefferson and Nettle Street in 1834 and became a village in 1842. In 1839, citizens volunteered to build Shakey Bridge across the Nettle Creek in order to influence the route of Fink and Walker's stagecoach line from Chicago to Ottawa. It wasn't until 1845 that the route was established when the post office department gave us daily mail and for that purpose changed the stagecoach line through Morris. This gave Morris its first public transportation. They carried the mail until 1848 when the canal opened. With the coming of the Illinois and Michigan Canal in 1848, the village grew around the courthouse square where it still stands today. The farmers then had a way to ship their grain to market in and to receive lumber, salt, and merchandise from around the world. AuxSable stone was carried to Chicago and passengers had a smoother trip than by stagecoach. With the opening of the Illinois and Michigan Canal and the railroad, the town prospered and grew to the north towards the ailroad. Our first factory was the Plow Factory in 1857, located west of Liberty Street on Illinois Avenue, followed by Gebhard Brewery in 1866. In 1873, Coleman Hardware was built with the businessmen of Morris donating $19,000 to bring in a factory. Northwestern Novelty arrived at 1909 to be near the Coleman Hardware as they produced the castings for its Yankee Match Lighter. The Morris Paper Mill was established in 1915. Currently, Morris has one of the few prospering downtowns in Illinois. Visitors and shoppers come a distance to enjoy the tranquil small town shopping atmosphere.
In addition to the downtown, we have outlying businesses such as five motels, a theater, restaurants, a furniture store, two drug stores, boat sales, three grocery stores, hardware stores, banquet hall, and a Super Walmart. Morris enjoys the benefit of being the Grundy County seat and has a large hospital and modern schools. We have many small parks, ball diamonds, tennis courts, and two golf courses, and a swimming pool as well as the Gebhard Woods State Park and the Stratton State Park for boat launching on the Illinois River. Morris is situated along the Illinois River at the intersections of State Routes 6 and 47 and Interstate 80. It has a population of 11,928 people with 21 full time police officers, a volunteer fire department and ambulance service and district library system.
Morris had its first log cabin at Jefferson and Nettle Street in 1834 and became a village in 1842. In 1839, citizens volunteered to build Shakey Bridge across the Nettle Creek in order to influence the route of Fink and Walker's stagecoach line from Chicago to Ottawa. It wasn't until 1845 that the route was established when the post office department gave us daily mail and for that purpose changed the stagecoach line through Morris. This gave Morris its first public transportation. They carried the mail until 1848 when the canal opened. With the coming of the Illinois and Michigan Canal in 1848, the village grew around the courthouse square where it still stands today. The farmers then had a way to ship their grain to market in and to receive lumber, salt, and merchandise from around the world. AuxSable stone was carried to Chicago and passengers had a smoother trip than by stagecoach. With the opening of the Illinois and Michigan Canal and the railroad, the town prospered and grew to the north towards the ailroad. Our first factory was the Plow Factory in 1857, located west of Liberty Street on Illinois Avenue, followed by Gebhard Brewery in 1866. In 1873, Coleman Hardware was built with the businessmen of Morris donating $19,000 to bring in a factory. Northwestern Novelty arrived at 1909 to be near the Coleman Hardware as they produced the castings for its Yankee Match Lighter. The Morris Paper Mill was established in 1915. Currently, Morris has one of the few prospering downtowns in Illinois. Visitors and shoppers come a distance to enjoy the tranquil small town shopping atmosphere.
In addition to the downtown, we have outlying businesses such as five motels, a theater, restaurants, a furniture store, two drug stores, boat sales, three grocery stores, hardware stores, banquet hall, and a Super Walmart. Morris enjoys the benefit of being the Grundy County seat and has a large hospital and modern schools. We have many small parks, ball diamonds, tennis courts, and two golf courses, and a swimming pool as well as the Gebhard Woods State Park and the Stratton State Park for boat launching on the Illinois River. Morris is situated along the Illinois River at the intersections of State Routes 6 and 47 and Interstate 80. It has a population of 11,928 people with 21 full time police officers, a volunteer fire department and ambulance service and district library system.