Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Hopedale yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Hopedale is a village in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 830 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town is also home to a small number of restaurants, general stores, parks, and the Hopedale Medical Complex.
Its first post office opened in 1853. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 865 to 830 (-4%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
From the old history books
What they wrote about Hopedale, 1879–1916
Passages that mention Hopedale, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Tazewell county, Illinois1879 · page 495Read the page →
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The old town of Hopedale was laid off Nov. 1, 1853, by Thomas Orendorff. The new town was incorporated Feb. 22, 1869. The first Trustees elected and who attended the first meeting were, T.
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History of Tazewell county, Illinois1879 · page 302Read the page →
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Hopedale at first was christened Highland. The present boundaries were fixed. A portion of Boynton township was attached to Hopedale, there not being enough inhabitants to organize a township. First election '\\;as held at Mrs. Purviance's residence. The name Highland was changed because there was another township in the State wearing that name.
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Souvenir of early and notable events in the history of the North West territory, Illinois, and Tazewell County, including the names of those who have served the county in various official capacities1916 · page 24Read the page →
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Hopedale township was first named "Highland," For early County map, see page 32. Aaron Orendorff. the first settler, built a log cabin on section 34, in 1827, Messrs. Whitten and Shaw came next. D. W. Orendorff, son of Aaron, born in 1828. was the first white child. Elias Ogden was the first Justice of the Peace, in 1829, commission signed by Gov. Ford. The first school was held at Mr. A. Orendorffs home in 18:52, and a Mr. Smith was the first school teacher. The first school-house was built on section 2 in 1834. Shiloh was the name of the first chiu-ch, and it was built about 1835. Hopedale was first named Osceola, but when a postofflce was petitioned for, the department reported adversely because there was another Osceola in Illinois. The old town was
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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
Hopedale, decade by decade
One decade in the archive so far: the 1950s. 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.
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 (1), 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.
1958