Old Princeton, Illinois

City: Old Princeton

County: Cass

State: Illinois

Lat/Long: 39.878056, -90.163889

Laid out in February 1833, Old Princeton was the second village laid out in that section of Morgan County that would become Cass County. It was located on the border of Cass and Morgan counties, southeast of Virginia, Illinois. In the 1830s and 1840s, Old Princeton grew into a thriving village, reaching a population of 200. By the 1850s, however, Old Princeton was in decline, having been eclipsed by the emergence of Virginia. Railroads constructed in the area all bypassed Old Princeton, contributing to its ultimate demise. By the 1870s, the village had few residents, and proprietors of the village vacated the plat in April 1875.

William Henry Perrin, ed., History of Cass County, Illinois (Chicago: O. L. Baskin, 1882), 158-59.