Cabery dates its founding to 1878 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1880.
First census: 114 in 18802020 census: 231148 years
How did Cabery get its name?
Cabery was named after John R. Caberry, an early settler and merchant from Chicago.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1869. Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓
What stands out about Cabery’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Cabery was founded around 1878 after the Kankakee and Southwestern Railroad (now KBSR) was built through the area. It was named after John R. Caberry, an early settler and merchant from Chicago. The community was incorporated as a village in 1881.
The settlement had one early setback when a fire broke out on May 3, 1885, that consumed the south side of Main Street. (Ford County side) It was believed to have started in a millinery shop and went on to destroy 24 businesses as well as 14 homes. Resulting in an estimated $100,000 in damages. Unbelievably, no injuries or deaths were reported.
into rich and productive fields which were carefully operated and brought him a gratifying annual income. When the Illinois Central Railroad was built through, by making to the company a heavy donation, he induced them to build a station where Cabery now stands on the Kankakee side. He then platted his land and erected a number of buildings and assisted in many ways to found the town and establish it upon a growing basis. He built the Cabery Tile & Brick Works and was the pioneer tile manufacturer in the Panhandle of Ford county. He was also the first to lay tile and promote the drainage and work
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Burt E. Burroughs, of Cabery, was the first publisher of the Cabery Enquirer. It was established in 1883. It is now controlled and edited by William R. Watts.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Cabery, 1869 to 1900
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1878, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Cabery’s post office opened in 1869, and the census of 1880 counted 114 people here.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (4), Wikipedia, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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