County Past
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Champaign County, Illinois

Historic newspapers, landmarks, and county history layers for genealogists and local historians.

87newspaper titles
2digitized titles
61historic places
1800earliest paper
1833formed
205,865pop. 2020
117cemeteries
—CW battlefields

At a glance

Summary

The Library of Congress U.S. Newspaper Directory lists 87 newspaper titles published in Champaign County, Illinois, with the earliest starting in 1800. 2 of these titles have digitized pages on Chronicling America. The National Register of Historic Places includes 61 listed properties in the county, first listed in 1968; 2 are also National Historic Landmarks. Most listings are in or near Urbana, Champaign, Rantoul.

Summary generated automatically from the source data on this page.

Newspapers published in Champaign

Library of Congress
87 newspaper titles
TitlePlaceYears
Champaign County UnionChampaign, Urbana1800–1869
Manito Community PressPleasant Plains, Green Valley, San Jose1800–1999
The Fisher ReporterFisher1800–?
The Homer EnterpriseHomer1800–1980
The Mahomet Sucker StateMahomet1800–1999
Central Illinois GazetteChampaign1858–1869
Central Illinois GazetteUrbana, Champaign1860–1866
Champaign County DemocratUrbana1860–1861
Champaign County Union & GazetteChampaign1860–1869
Champaign Illinois DemocratUrbana1861–1862
Champaign County DemocratUrbana1862–1862
Champaign County PatriotUrbana1862–1899
Champaign DemocratUrbana1862–1862
Champaign UnionChampaign1864–1899
The Homer JournalHomer1866–1899
Champaign DemocratChampaign1867–1899
The Illinois DemocratUrbana, Champaign1867–1899
Champaign County GazetteChampaign1869–1999
The Champaign TimesChampaign1872–1899
The Liberal-DemocratChampaign1872–1999
Homer PressHomer1873–1899
The IlliniUrbana, Champaign1874–1907
The IlliniUrbana, Champaign1874–1907
Champaign County HeraldUrbana1876–1999
Champaign Daily GazetteChampaign1882–1899
The Champaign Daily GazetteChampaign1883–1919
Home and FiresideUrbana1886–?
The Champaign County NewsChampaign1891–1999
The Ivesdale ItemIvesdale1893–1894
The Champaign County Teachers' InstituteUrbana1895–1895
The Champaign Daily NewsChampaign1895–1919
The Gifford Weekly SunGifford1895–1999
Homer PilotHomer1897–?
Champaign County DemocratChampaign1898–1999
Illinois Municipal ReviewUrbana1900–?
The Broadlands NewsBroadlands1900–1972
The Illinois Times DigitizedChampaign1900–1999
The Daily IlliniChampaign, Urbana1907–?
The Lincoln WayChampaign1908–1908
The Champaign CitizenChampaign1913–1913
The Fisher NewsFisher1913–1919
Mahomet Sucker StateMahomet1915–1974
Air PuffsChanute Field, Chanute Air Force Base, Rantoul1917–1919
The Champaign News-GazetteUrbana, Champaign1919–1934
Champaign Evening HeraldChampaign1923–1999
The Chanute Field News and the Air Service Technical School BulletinChanute Field, Chanute Air Force Base, Rantoul1926–1926
The Mid-West FarmerChampaign1929–1931
The Champaign and Urbana CitizenChampaign1931–1999
Champaign-Urbana News-GazetteChampaign, Urbana1934–1936
The Evening CourierChampaign, Urbana1934–1946
Illini NewsUrbana1937–1940
The IndependentChampaign, Urbana1937–1940
The Ivesdale NewsIvesdale1938–1999
Chanute Field WingsChanute Field, Rantoul1941–1943
Chanute Field WingsChanute Field, Rantoul1945–1948
Champaign-Urbana CourierUrbana, Champaign1946–1971
Chanute WingsChanute Field, Chanute Air Force Base, Rantoul1948–1949
Chanute Air Force Base WingsChanute Air Force Base, Hoopeston, Rantoul1949–1950
The Homer HeraldHomer1954–1955
The Homer ChamilionHomer1955–1959
The Champaign-Urbana News-GazetteChampaign1965–1985
A Four-Year BummerChanute Air Force Base (Ill.)1969–1979
The GraphicChampaign, Urbana1969–1999
Black RappChampaign1970–1999
The CourierUrbana, Champaign1971–1978
Chanute This WeekRantoul1972–1982
The Independent TimesChampaign, Urbana1975–1999
The Mahomet CitizenMahomet1975–2002
Campus DigestChampaign1977–1977
Campus Daily NewsChampaign1978–1999
County StarTolono1979–?
The LeaderOgden1979–?
Illini TimesUrbana, Champaign1981–1999
Champaign-Urbana ThursdayChampaign1983–1999
Illini ChronicleChampaign1985–1999
Champaign & Vermilion County HeraldChampaign1989–1999
Champaign County VoiceChampaign1989–1989
East Central Illinois VoiceChampaign1989–?
The CountdownRantoul1993–1999
Black ThoughtChampaign1997–?
BuzzChampaign1998–?
Cu CityviewChampaign2002–2003
El Informador De Champaign-UrbanaUrbana2002–?
The CitizenMahomet2002–?
Illinois Editorial ReviewUrbana?–
The Illinois Times DigitizedChampaign?–
The Ivesdale NewsIvesdale?–

Source: Library of Congress U.S. Newspaper Directory. “Digitized” links lead to page images on Chronicling America.

Coverage timeline

Newspapers

Each bar is one title’s publication span. brown = digitized on Chronicling America Open-ended runs extend to today.

18001856191319692026

Sample front pages

Chronicling America

Digitized page-1 issues from papers published in Champaign. Thumbnails link to the Library of Congress.

Courtesy Library of Congress, Chronicling America. Page images are hotlinked from loc.gov; generally public domain / no known restrictions (U.S. papers older than 95 years are public domain in their entirety; newer issues may contain some copyrighted third-party material). Rights & access.

On this day

Front pages

No digitized front pages for Champaign were found on today’s month/day in the sampled years. Try the sample front pages above, or browse Chronicling America.

National Register of Historic Places

NPS NRHP

41 of 61 listings mapped; some locations are restricted by NPS to protect sensitive sites.

61 listed properties
PropertyCityTypeListed
Ahrens, Henry, HouseChampaignBuilding2011
Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity HouseChampaignBuilding1990
Alpha Delta Pi Sorority HouseUrbanaBuilding2000
Alpha Gamma Delta Fraternity HouseUrbanaBuilding2009
Alpha Phi Fraternity House-Beta Alpha ChapterChampaignBuilding2005
Alpha Rho Chi Fraternity HouseChampaignBuilding1997
Alpha Xi Delta Sorority Chapter HouseUrbanaBuilding1989
Altgeld Hall, University of IllinoisUrbanaBuilding1970
Beta Theta Pi Fraternity HouseChampaignBuilding1989
Building at 201 North Market StreetChampaignBuilding1997
Building at 203-205 North Market StreetChampaignBuilding1997
Burnham AthenaeumChampaignBuilding1978
Cattle BankChampaignBuilding1975
Champaign Downtown Commercial DistrictChampaignDistrict2020
Chanute Field Historic DistrictRantoulDistrict2006
Chemical LaboratoryUrbanaBuilding1986
Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity HouseChampaignBuilding1990
Delta Upsilon Fraternity HouseChampaignBuilding1990
Downtown Urbana Historic DistrictUrbanaDistrict2019
Elm Street CourtUrbanaDistrict2000
Farm HouseUrbanaBuilding1989
Gamma Phi Beta Sorority HouseUrbanaBuilding1994
Georgian, TheChampaignBuilding2005
Greek Revival CottageUrbanaBuilding1977
Griggs, Clark R., HouseUrbanaBuilding1978
Hazen BridgeMohometStructure1994
Illinois Traction BuildingChampaignBuilding2006
Inman HotelChampaignBuilding1989
Kappa Delta Rho Fraternity HouseChampaignBuilding1990
Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority HouseUrbanaBuilding2004
Kappa Sigma Fraternity HouseChampaignBuilding1989
Library-University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUrbanaBuilding2000
Lincoln (Statue)UrbanaObject2004
Lincoln BuildingChampaignBuilding1996
Mattis, George and Elsie, HouseChampaignBuilding2010
Metal ShopUrbanaBuilding1986
Military Drill Hall and Men's GymnasiumUrbanaBuilding1986
Morrow Plots, University of Illinois NHLUrbanaSite1968
Natural History BuildingUrbanaBuilding1986
New Orpheum TheatreChampaignBuilding1991
Phi Delta Theta Fraternity HouseChampaignBuilding2004
Phi Mu Sorority HouseUrbanaBuilding1990
Ricker, Nathan C., HouseUrbanaBuilding2000
Royer, Joseph W., House and Ella Danely CottageUrbanaBuilding2022
Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity HouseChampaignBuilding1990
Smith, Tina Weedon, Memorial HallUrbanaBuilding1996
Solon, Francis and Abbie, HouseChampaignBuilding2007
Squires, Frederick, HouseChampaignBuilding2011
Stone Arch BridgeChampaignStructure1981
U.S. Post OfficeChampaignBuilding1976
Unitarian Church of UrbanaUrbanaBuilding1991
University of Illinois Astronomical ObservatoryUrbanaBuilding1986
University of Illinois Experimental Dairy Farm Historic DistrictUrbanaDistrict1994
University of Illinois Observatory NHLUrbanaBuilding1989
Urbana-Lincoln Hotel-Lincoln Square MallUrbanaBuilding2006
Virginia TheaterChampaignBuilding2003
Vriner's ConfectioneryChampaignBuilding1983
Warm Air Research HouseUrbanaBuilding2001
Wee HavenChampaignBuilding2011
Women's Gymnasium, University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUrbanaBuilding2003
Women's Residence Hall-West Residence Hall, University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUrbanaBuilding2003

Source: National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Property links open NRHP nomination files at the National Archives.

County formation

Newberry AHCB

Champaign was formed in 1833 (1833-02-20) from Vermilion.

CHAMPAIGN created from VERMILION and Non-County Area 4 attached to VERMILION.

Source: Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

Population by decade

Census

Champaign County population from 1840 to 2020 (Census historical series).

206k104k1,4751840188019201930196020002020
18401860188019001920194019501960198020002020
1,47514,62940,86347,62256,95970,578106,100132,436168,392179,669205,865

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau historical county population (Forstall 1790–1990) and public-domain / CC0 county population series through 2020.

Cemeteries & historical places

USGS GNIS

117 cemeteries and 0 historical populated places (ghost towns / former settlements) recorded in USGS GNIS for this county.

Cemeteries — 80 of 117 listed
NameLatLon
Bailey Memorial Cemetery39.99507-88.2743
Barnett CemeteryNoneNone
Bartley CemeteryNoneNone
Battershell CemeteryNoneNone
Beckman Cemetery40.2608-88.09839
Beckman CemeteryNoneNone
Beekman Cemetery40.35769-88.33521
Bethel Harris Cemetery40.14399-88.45659
Bethlehem Cemetery40.21416-88.26677
Bill Huss Chapel Cemetery40.06014-88.1041
Boys Family CemeteryNoneNone
Brownfield CemeteryNoneNone
Brumley CemeteryNoneNone
Bryan Cemetery40.18282-88.39107
Burris-Hartman CemeteryNoneNone
Cain-Shaefer CemeteryNoneNone
Calvary Cemetery40.01169-88.138
Captain Davidson CemeteryNoneNone
Champain County Poor Farm CemeteryNoneNone
Chenoweth Cemetery40.36142-87.94751
Clements Cemetery40.14476-88.16227
Cora Brooks CemeteryNoneNone
Coslet CemeteryNoneNone
Craw Cemetery39.98325-88.35797
Davis Memorial Cemetery39.91254-88.27013
Davis Memorial CemeteryNoneNone
Deadman's Grove CemeteryNoneNone
Dunkard CemeteryNoneNone
Dunn CemeteryNoneNone
East Bend Memorial Gardens40.35497-88.33345
East Lawn Cemetery40.12114-88.20088
Eastlawn Addition CemeteryNoneNone
Eden Cemetery40.31753-88.15476
Elizabeth CemeteryNoneNone
Elmwood Cemetery40.31885-88.16424
Fisher Cemetery40.20065-88.33752
Friends Church CemeteryNoneNone
George Peters Family CemeteryNoneNone
Grandview Memorial Gardens40.16336-88.31394
Gregory Burial CemeteryNoneNone
Haines Family CemeteryNoneNone
Harvey Cemetery40.12126-88.19865
Harwood Chapel Cemetery40.38648-88.02179
Heater CemeteryNoneNone
Hitz Family CemeteryNoneNone
Holy Sepulchre Cemetery40.3128-88.11158
Holy Sepulchre CemeteryNoneNone
Homer Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery40.03753-87.94976
Huffman Cemetery40.39041-88.05002
Huls Cemetery40.28609-88.04057
Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery39.93615-88.0092
Iverdale CemeteryNoneNone
Jersey Cemetery40.24508-88.3074
Jessee Cemetery39.89382-88.19759
Kemp CemeteryNoneNone
Knife Cemetery40.25669-88.34338
Kopmann Cemetery40.22615-88.00198
Leal Park CemeteryNoneNone
Lincoln Memorial Gardens40.12889-88.21839
Locust Grove Cemetery40.00396-88.16262
Loeffler CemeteryNoneNone
Lost Grove Cemetery39.99559-87.99494
Ludlow Cemetery40.37006-88.14528
Lynn Grove Cemetery39.96794-88.11298
Maplewood Cemetery40.33254-88.14845
Mennonite CemeteryNoneNone
Middletown Cemetery40.19336-88.40227
Miller CemeteryNoneNone
Mount Hope Cemetery40.03059-88.06309
Mount Hope Cemetery40.09945-88.22577
Mount Hope Cemetery40.38434-88.41886
Mount Hope CemeteryNoneNone
Mount Olive Cemetery40.11448-88.12282
Naylor Cemetery40.31041-88.38539
OBryan Cemetery39.8854-88.36521
Old Adkins CemeteryNoneNone
Old Bliss Cemetery40.02887-88.04425
Old Cloys CemeteryNoneNone
Old Frame CemeteryNoneNone
Old Huss Cemetery40.05893-88.07792

Source: USGS Geographic Names Information System (public domain). Cemeteries from the 2021 NationalFile archive; historical places from GNIS HistoricalFeatures topical extract.

Historical markers

HMdb link

Marker text and photos from the Historical Marker Database (HMdb) are not embedded here. HMdb allows non-commercial reuse with attribution, but commercial/compensated use needs written permission; this is a commercial site, so we only link out.

Search HMdb for Champaign County, Illinois

Terms: hmdb.org/copyright.asp. Linking is encouraged by HMdb.