Lost Towns of Illinois - Challacombe, Illinois

Challacombe, IL was established on June 3, 1887 and disbanded on January 19, 1909. It is now a part of Medora, IL. Challacombe was located in Section 20 of Chesterfield Township in Macoupin County. 

Nicholas Challacombe, who came here from Devonshire, England in 1840, settling on section 21 (the "Mound") homestead. He became a prominent farmer and stock-raiser. Nicholas Challacombe and his wife Nancy G. Carson, eldest daughter of Harvey Challacombe were newly married. The small area of the Mound was generally known as Challacombe.

Challacombe was established with the building of the St Louis, Chicago, and St Paul Railroad Line. All that is left is an intersection, Challacombe Road & South Alton Way Road, with a single house, two grain silos and farmland. There is no way to know you are in Challacombe, IL unless you had an old map.

Compiled by Neil Gale, Ph.D. 

Jackson Boulevard bridge over the Chicago River. (1915)

Two photos of the Jackson Boulevard bridge over the Chicago River in 1915.

View this rare ferrotype (tintype) photograph of President-elect Abraham Lincoln's first bearded profile photo.

CLICK PHOTO FOR A FULL SIZE IMAGE.

This is a rare Ferrotype (tintype) photograph of President-elect Abraham Lincoln taken in Springfield on February 9, 1861 by photographer Christopher S. German. It was the first profile photograph of the newly bearded Lincoln. No original exists, but a private collector provided this copy.