According to historical records, a man named Israel Atherton purchased the land around present-day Dallas City in 1836. He built a log cabin but he didn't seem to stay very long. He sold the land to John Finch, who built a village, which today is still recognized as Dallas City. It was laid out in 1848, and named in honor of George Mifflin Dallas, 11th Vice President of the United States of America, from 1845 to 1849. A post office has been in operation at Dallas City since 1850.
Passages that mention Dallas City, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Hancock County, Illinois, together with an outline history of the State, and a digest of State laws1880 · page 947Read the page →
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goods to Appanoose, where they were stored for a short time; and in the fall of 1844 he commenced business in Pontoosuc, having branch stores in Appanoose and La Ilarpe. In 1846 he came to Dallas City and built a large warehouse and store-room, and began business, being largely engaged in the grain trade and packing, and in the fall of 1847 he built a large flouring-mill and distillery.
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History of Hancock County, Illinois, together with an outline history of the State, and a digest of State laws1880 · page 931Read the page →
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Dallas City is also on the river, three miles above, and was laid out Oct., 184S, by John M. Finch. This is a town of considerable trade, tind has a population of perhaps 1,000 souls.
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Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
By decade
Dallas City, decade by decade
One decade in the archive so far: the 1880s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
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.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Dallas City.
Every building
Dallas City, building by building, 1906–1912
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
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 (9), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) 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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