Hoopeston’s post office opened in 1871, and 50% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 78% of U.S. towns · #192 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
Its Register listings are the Hoopes-Cunningham Mansion and the Hoopeston Carnegie Public Library. Below: 22 old photos and papers, maps from 1890 on, and the census since 1880.
The Hoopeston post office opened in 1871, the earliest record of the town by name. Another post office, Leeds (1871), opened inside today’s city and later closed.
First census: 1,272 in 18802020 census: 4,915155 years
How did Hoopeston get its name?
Hoopeston was named for Thomas Hoopes, one of the men who offered land for the crossing of two railroads: the Lafayette, Bloomington and Western Railroad and the Chicago, Danville and Vincennes Railroad.
How historic is Hoopeston?
A−
More historic than 78% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Hoopeston is more historic than 78% of U.S. towns, #192 of 768 in Illinois. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Hoopeston’s overall grade.
Few Illinois towns list much on the Register (a typical Illinois town has 0.5 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Hoopeston’s 4.0 sits above most of its state (73% of Illinois towns have fewer) while its 2 listings outnumber those of 60% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±11.2 points). The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date.
Founding year: the first post office (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Hoopeston’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
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.
Hoopeston was laid out in 1871. It was named for Thomas Hoopes, one of the men who offered land for the crossing of two railroads: the Lafayette, Bloomington and Western Railroad and the Chicago, Danville and Vincennes Railroad. The two railroads separated the town into four sections. The latter railroad still exists and is now operated jointly by CSX Transportation and Union Pacific Railroad.
In 1890, Greer College was established in Hoopeston, funded by a gift of $40,000 and 500 acres (2.0 km2) of land from John Greer.
Passages that mention Hoopeston, cut from the printed page as they were published.
A history of Hoopeston "World's greatest corn canning center" ..1925 · page 75Read the page →
Read the text
Established in the year 1872, shortly after the city of Hoopeston had been incorporated, the First National Bank is not only the city's oldest financial institution, but for many years was the only business of this nature carried on in Hoopeston. The bank was established by J. S. McFerren, pioneer resident and the first mayor of Hoopeston, with a capitalization of $25,000. It was a successful venture from the start, residents of this section reposing great confidence in the business ability of J. S. McFerren, who
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
A history of Hoopeston "World's greatest corn canning center" ..1925Read the page →
Read the text
Three years after its organization the club took up a work for which it will be remembered for many years in Hoopeston, that of sponsoring the Free Public Library in Hoopeston. Although it was only a few years until a Carnegie Free Public Library had been established in Hoopeston, to the Mary Hartwell Catherwood club belongs the credit of establishment of the first free public library. They have since the establishment of the Carnegie Library been amlong its most loyal supporters.
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
Hoopeston, 1871 to 1967
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Hoopeston. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1938Hoopeston sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Hoopeston.
Every building
Hoopeston, building by building, 1890–1913
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.
The Hoopeston post office opened in 1871, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does Hoopeston rank for history?
Hoopeston is more historic than 78% of U.S. towns, #192 of 768 in Illinois. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Hoopeston?
Two places: the Hoopes-Cunningham Mansion (listed 1985) and the Hoopeston Carnegie Public Library (2002).
How old are the homes in Hoopeston?
50% of Hoopeston’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±11.2 points), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 1940.
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).
From Wikimedia Commons (21), the Library of Congress (3), the National Register of Historic Places (2), 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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