Village of Tennessee

In March, 1854, Tennessee township, was selected by L. C. Bacon, T. K. Waddill and S. Cockerham as a site upon which to establish the village of Tennessee. Work along the line of the C. B. & Q., railroad had already commenced, which, from the survey, passed through that section of McDonough County, and was undoubtedly the reason these above named gentlemen attempted the establishment of this place.  There was no better a location that could have been chosen than the beautiful prairie about one mile south of Crooked Creek.

During the month of March, a large number of lots, 50 feet front and 110 feet deep, were laid out on either side of the proposed line of road, the two main streets running parallel with the railroad. For about four years there were rapid strides toward a town of considerable importance, and soon became quite a business point, but by 1858 the progress impeded and slow.

Tennessee was incorporated as a town June 7, 1865, and as a village November 25, 1872. The first building on the site of the present town of Tennessee, was a house erected from clap-boards, by Abraham Cherry, in the fall of 1854.

The village is the home of the legendary Tennessee Tap,  Michelle’s Countryside Cafe, Markey’s Resale & Flea Market, and historic Vishnu Springs.