Near Albion in Edwards County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Wanborough, Illinois

Photographed By Jason Voigt, July 23, 2021

1. Wanborough, Illinois Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

The former village of Wanborough, Illinois, was established in August 1818 by English settler and entrepreneur Morris Birkbeck. A center of commerce for his fellow countrymen emigrating to the English settlement in Edwards County, Wanborough once included two taverns, a grist mill, two stores, a pottery, a blacksmith, and one of the state's first breweries. The town, however, lasted for only a short time and was all but abandoned by 1840. Competition from the nearby town of Albion and Birkbeck's accidental drowning in 1825 contributed to the community's demise. This cemetery is all that is left of the village.

Erected 2007 by Illinois Foundation for Frontier Studies and the Illinois State Historical Society.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Illinois State Historical Society series list. A significant historical month for this entry is August 1818.

Location. 38° 22.503′ N, 88° 5.394′ W. Marker is near

Photographed By Jason Voigt, July 23, 2021

2. Wanborough, Illinois Marker

Marker is in front of the fence of Wanborough Cemetery.

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Albion, Illinois, in Edwards County. Marker is on 850N east of County Road 315 E, on the right when traveling west. Marker is located in front of Wanborough Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 338 County Rd 820, Albion IL 62806, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Abraham Lincoln (approx. 1.2 miles away); St. John's Episcopal Church (approx. 1.8 miles away); Morris Birkbeck (approx. 1.8 miles away); Gray Mansion (approx. 9½ miles away); Thomasanne Payne Home Site (approx. 9.6 miles away); Gray Opera House (approx. 9.6 miles away); The Gray Family Cemetery (approx. 9.6 miles away); Present Site of The Gray Family Cemetery (approx. 9.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Albion.

Also see . . . Wansborough, Illinois on Wikipedia. Wansborough was an Owenite community, as such was popular in the 1820's in the United States. The Owenite movement of the 1820s was one of the four primary branches of secular utopian socialism in the US during the 19th century, antedating Fourierism (1843–1850), Icarianism (1848–1898), and Bellamyism (1889–1896). (Submitted on July 23, 2021, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)

Credits. This page was last revised on July 23, 2021. It was originally submitted on July 23, 2021, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 165 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 23, 2021, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.