Momence, Illinois

City: Momence

County: Kankakee

State: Illinois

Lat/Long: 41.1667, -87.6500

Momence, Illinois is a city located in Kankakee County, Illinois. Situated twelve miles east of the city of Kankakee along the Kankakee River, Momence spans part of Momence Township and part of Ganeer Township. Momence was originally home to the Potawatomi Nation. White settlers began arriving in Momence Township in 1834. In September 1839, the U.S. Post Office established a post office in the area with the name Lorain. Settlers established a village around 1845, and in March 1849, villagers changed to the name to Momence after Isidore Momence (Moness), a French-Potawatomi local.

Newton Bateman and Paul Selby, eds., Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Kankakee County, ed. by William F. Kenaga and George R. Letourneau (Chicago: Middle-West, 1906), 2:747-79; Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary, 3rd ed. (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 1997), 757; Edward Callary, Place Names of Illinois (Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2009), 231.