Bentown in McLean County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Benjaminville Friends Meeting House

Photographed by Jason Voigt, October 2, 2020

1. Benjaminville Friends Meeting House Marker

Inscription. Benjaminville was founded in the 1850's by Quaker farmers looking for rich prairie soil on which to grow their wheat. The Friends Meeting House, built in 1874, has changed little since then. The adjacent burial ground is divided into two sections: one for Quakers and a second for non-Quakers. When the expected Lake Erie Railroad went elsewhere, the town eventually died. The meeting house and burial ground are all that remain of Benjaminville. The site was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

Erected 1994 by Illinois History Club of Lexington High School and The Illinois State Historical Society.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Illinois State Historical Society series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1874.

Location. 40° 28.584′ N, 88° 48.359′ W. Marker is in Bentown, Illinois, in McLean County. It is on County Route 2400E north of County Route 1300N, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located at Benjaminville Friends Meeting House Church State Historic Site. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 13289 County Rd 2400 E, Ellsworth IL 61737, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Central Illinois.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers

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are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Bob McGraw Community Park (approx. 6.1 miles away); Sister City Memorial (approx. 6.2 miles away); End of the Journey (approx. 7.8 miles away); Fern's Cafe (approx. 7.9 miles away); Henderson's Standard (approx. 7.9 miles away); Dead Man's Curve (approx. 8 miles away); 1954 Route 66 Alignment (approx. 8 miles away); Pure Oil Truck Stop (approx. 8 miles away).

Also see . . . Benjaminville, Illinois on Wikipedia. Wiki page for the former town, which by 1870, was rendered a ghost town. This was to be a promising new village that had two churches (in addition to the Meeting House) and a few shops but the Lake Erie Railroad opted to bypass the town because of its elevation on the terrain. The Meeting House is the only surviving building from Benjaminville that remains. (Submitted on October 3, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)

Additional keywords. ghost town, ghost towns

Photographed by Jason Voigt, October 2, 2020

2. Benjaminville Friends Meeting House Marker

Marker is underneath the tree on the right. Cemetery (mentioned on the marker) is behind the building.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 3, 2020. It was originally submitted on October 3, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 1,217 times since then and 75 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 3, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.