Editing Carlyle, Illinois (section)

==History==
In 1811 or 1812, a man named John Hill built one of several "block" houses along the Goshen Trail, located at what is currently 201 Fairfax Street. The houses were reportedly built to serve as a line of defense against Native Americans. John Hill built the first house to be located in what has become Carlyle. He also established what could be considered Carlyle's first business: a [[ferry]] to carry traffic across the Kaskaskia River, including a small shelter at the river which served as a [[toll house]].

In 1816, Charles Slade and two of his brothers reached the John Hill settlement and bought him out. Charles farmed the land, took over the ferry, and within a year partnered with a man named Hubbard to start the first store, a mercantile business located at what is now 301 Fairfax Street. In 1818, a man named Calvin Barnes laid out town lots. On March 10, 1819, a post office was first established under the name Carlisle, Illinois. This spelling might have been a clerical error.

The area was settled after the 1809 creation of the [[Illinois Territory]] but before Illinois achieved statehood, six to seven years after John Hill had already built his establishment. Illinois' first state capitol was located in [[Kaskaskia, Illinois|Kaskaskia]], but in 1820 the state decided that it should be moved. Carlyle lost to [[Vandalia, Illinois|Vandalia]] by one vote. In 1824, the State of Illinois created Clinton County by carving it out of [[Washington County, Illinois|Washington]], [[Bond County, Illinois|Bond]], and [[Fayette County, Illinois|Fayette]] counties. Carlyle was to be the county seat should land be donated for this purpose. Charles Slade donated {{convert|20|acre}} of property so that the county seat would be located in Carlyle.<ref>''The Annals of Carlyle, Illinois: 1809-1956'' (1956). The History Committee of the Carlyle Community Development Program. Dr. J.Q. Roane, Chairman & Dr. Mima Maxey, Editor.</ref><ref>''History of Marion and Clinton Counties, Illinois'' (1881). Brink, McDonough & Co., Philadelphia.</ref><ref>''A Bridge to the Past'' (1994). Heritage House Publishing, Marceline, MO.</ref>

Carlyle was founded in 1818 by Charles W. Slade, father of [[Joseph Alfred Slade|Joseph "Jack" Slade]], who named the town after his grandmother's family. It was incorporated as a town on 2/10/1837 and incorporated as a city on 4/17/1884.<ref name="nameindex"/>  Carlyle celebrated 150 years and used the 1837 date.<ref>Rottenberg, Dan, Michael (2008). ''Death of a Gunfighter: The Quest for Jack Slade, the West's Most Elusive Legend'', p.21. Simon & Fille, New York. {{ISBN|978-1-59416-070-7}}.</ref>

Charles Slade pushed hard for Carlyle to become the state capital of Illinois, but lost by one vote to Vandalia in 1819. In 1824, [[Clinton County, Illinois|Clinton County]] was formed, and Carlyle became the county seat in July 1825, both at the initiative of Charles Slade.<ref>Rottenberg, Dan, Michael (2008). ''Death of a Gunfighter: The Quest for Jack Slade, the West's Most Elusive Legend'', p.23. Simon & Fille, New York. {{ISBN|978-1-59416-070-7}}.</ref>