The area containing the future Tampico township was a slough. The first European settlers arrived in 1852. The township of Tampico was established in 1861. John W. Glassburn was the founder of Tampico. In 1863–64, the area was drained. The local railroad CB&Q went into service in 1871 and was taken out in the early 1980s. In June 1874, a tornado struck, destroying 27 buildings. In 1875, the village of Tampico was incorporated.
Passages that mention Tampico, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Whiteside county, Illinois, from its first settlement to the present time1877 · page 461Read the page →
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Each of the school districts is provided with a good, commodious school house, and great care is taken in the selection of teachers. The public school building in the village of Tampico is an admirable one. The first school house in that district was built in 1869, and stood one mile south of the present village, but when the railroad was laid through the town, it was moved to the village. So rapid was the increase of scholars that during the next summer ninety-three crowded its walls seeking instruction. In the following winter the second floor of George Gruffey's brick store was fitted up for the primary scholars, and Miss
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History of Whiteside county, Illinois, from its first settlement to the present time1877 · page 453Read the page →
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John C. Aldrich came from Bradford county, Pennsylvania, to Tampico, in 1856, and at first purchased a farm in the southeast part of the town. When the village of Tampico sprang into existence he opened a dry goods, clothing, and provision store in the south part, combining with it the sale of farming implements, and wagons and carriages. He also entered largely into the real estate business, and now owns lands in different parts of South Tampico, as well as lots in the viliage. He continued in the mercantile business for some time, and at present is a manufacturer of briok, besides being a dealer in wagons and
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1877 history of whiteside county illinois1877 · page 453Read the page →
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Joun C. ALDRICH came from Bradford county, Pennsylvania, to Tampico, in 1856, and at first purchased a farm in the southeast part of the town. When the village of Tampico sprang into existenee he opened a dry goods, clothing, and provision store in the south part, combining with it the sale of farming implements, and wagons and earriages. He also entered largely into the real estate business, and now owns lands in different parts of South Tampico, as well as lots in the viliage. He continued in the mercantile business for some time, and at present is a manufacturer of brick, besides being a dealer in wagons and
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1877 history of whiteside county illinois1877 · page 454Read the page →
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Rurus ALDRICH is one of the early settlers of Tampico, arriving there from Bradford eounty, Pennsylvania, on the 1st of July, 1855. He purchased a farm in sections 26 and 27 in the southeast part of the town, which he still owns. At present he is conducting the livery business in the village of Tampico, in connection with his son, the firm being, C. R. & R. Aldrich. Mr.
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Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Tampico, 1870 to 1908
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born 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 (5), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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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