Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Lawndale Township yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Lawndale Township is located in McLean County, Illinois, east of Lexington, northwest of Colfax, and southeast of Chenoa. As of the 2010 census, its population was 158 and it contained 74 housing units. It's Township Road Commissioner is Jeff Winterland. Lawndale Cemetery is located on 2550 North Road. At least part of the township is within the area of the proposed Lexington Chenoa Wind Farm to be developed by Horizon Wind Energy.
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 158 to 168 (+6%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
From the old history books
What they wrote about Lawndale Township in 1924
Passages that mention Lawndale Township, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of McLean County, Illinois1924 · page 106Read the page →
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Lawndale Township is made up of rich prairie lands and contains many excellent farms. The settlement of the township took place between 1851 and 1854, when emigrants bought lands from the government. Hon.
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History of McLean County, Illinois1924 · page 110Read the page →
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Mackinaw in 1835, partly located in Lawndale and some of it in Martin Township. Curtis Batterton came about 1837, both he and the Wileys being from Kentucky. Martin Batterton bought land on the north side of the Mackinaw in Lawndale Township. The Batterton and Wileys were hunters and spent much time in trying to exterminate the wolves which prayed on the stock. Deer were found in the vicinity as late as 1865.
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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
No old photos in the archives yet
Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
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Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Lawndale Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1957Colfax 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 Lawndale Township.
Places that used to be
Old burying grounds
3cemeteries and burying grounds inside Lawndale Township
EvergreenImmanuel Lutheran ChurchLawndale
Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Stories next door
History across the town line
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
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 U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, 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.
