Editing Alvin, Illinois (section)

==History==
A settlement was founded in 1872 about a mile south of present-day Alvan, along the [[Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad]], and was called Gilbert in honor of the founder, Alvan Gilbert.  In 1875, the new Havana, Rantoul and Eastern Railroad (which became the [[Illinois Central Railroad]]) crossed the C&EI north of Gilbert, and the town of Alvan was founded at the intersection.  Tradition says that the town's name became Alvin (with an "i" instead of an "a") because the post office misspelled it and refused to correct the error.<ref name="Stapp">{{cite book
  | last = Stapp
  | first = Katherine
  |author2=W. I. Bowman
  | title = History Under Our Feet: The Story of Vermilion County, Illinois
  | publisher = Interstate Printers and Publishers, Inc.
  | year = 1968
  | location = Danville, Illinois
  | pages = 48}}</ref>

On [[Tornado outbreak of March 16–17, 1942|March 16, 1942]], a tornado struck Alvan and caused much destruction, killing six people.  A marker in the town commemorates the tragic event and reads as follows:
<div style="text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase;">
'''Alvin Tornado'''<br />
Monday, March 16, 1942<br />
11:40 AM<br />
Killed<br />
Billy Smith - Henry O'Farrell<br />
Ruth Viles - George Johnson<br />
Odessa Scott - Goldie Hoover<br />
<span style="font-size: smaller;">Donated by</span><br />
Mel Schriefer<br />
2004<br />
<span style="font-size: smaller;">A.E. Hoskins</span>
</div>
[[Image:Alvin Illinois tornado marker.png|thumb|center|150px|1942 tornado marker]]