Spring Valley, IL

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Spring Valley was founded in 1884 in the heart of the coal fields of Northern Illinois for the express purpose of mining of coal. The building of Spring Valley was the enterprise of Henry J. Miller, one of the first settlers of this area, and his son-in-law, Charles J. Devlin. They conceived the idea of establishing a coal metropolis, in the Valley and on the slopes of the bluffs bordering Spring Creek, in the southeastern corner of Bureau County.

They acquired the mineral rights of 5,000 acres and purchased 500 acres on which to build the town. They secured the financial aid and cooperation of coal and railroad capitalists, E.N. Saunders of St. Paul, MN, a director of the Chicago and North Western railroad, Mr. Taylor of “What Cheer,” IA, and W.L. Scott of Erie, PA. Scott was a United Stated Senator from Pennsylvania during the administration of President Cleveland. Most of these men are remembered in the name of the streets of the town.

Two companies were formed, the Spring Valley Coal Company and the Spring Valley Townsite Co. Backed by the almost unlimited resources of the coal barons, these two companies spent over 2 1/2 million dollars in less than four years in the building of the town.

The boring of the mine commenced in 1884 and the town surveyed and platted. Spring Valley did not grow from a crossroads country store or framehouse, it was planned with the hope it would grow to be a large city. Space was set aside for churches, schools and public buildings and broad streets were laid out. St. Paul Street became one of the widest streets in the state and in 1984 made even wider. In the residential section of the city property line, lies 25 feet from curb and ample room for expansion.

Spring Valley was a boom town, its growth was so rapid that it was called the “Magic City.” In less than four years, by 1888, the Chicago North Western railroad had laid a line from DeKalb, IL, four mines had been sunk and the town had 3,000 people. It was brawling, boisterous place and was to remain so, more or less, until completion from the Southern Illinois coal fields forced the mine to close in late 1927. The town had gained a hard name, but had a cultural side too.