Editing Leland Grove, Illinois (section)

== History ==

Leland Grove was incorporated by a [[referendum]] of residents of several subdivisions in [[Woodside Township, Sangamon County, Illinois|Woodside Township]] in April 1950 in order to improve the roads in the area, which at the time were mostly unpaved dirt roads. The city had an initial population of 1,060 people, and later grew by annexing additional subdivisions in the area.<ref name="reaches">{{cite news | newspaper = Illinois State Journal | page = 24 | date = 1951-10-19 | title = Reaches Goal: Leland Grove Now Has 9 Miles Of Paves Streets | via = Newsbank}}</ref> The new city succeeded in paving nine miles of roads in its first year and half, although this led to a significant budget deficit.<ref name="reaches"/><ref>{{cite news | newspaper = Illinois State Register | date = 1951-05-11 | page = 1 | title = New City Suburb of Leland Grove 'Broke' And In Debt; Raise Taxes For This Year | author-first = Adolph | author-last = Belval | via = Newsbank}}</ref> The first city government, consisting of a mayor, clerk, treasurer and six aldermen, was voted in without opposition on June 20, 1950.<ref>{{Cite news | newspaper = State Journal-Register | date = 1950-06-18 | title = No Opposition: Leland Grove Residents To Elect City Officers Tuesday | page = 8 | via = Newsbank}}</ref>

Like the neighboring village of [[Jerome, Illinois|Jerome]], Leland Grove took its name from Jerome Leland, a prominent local farmer who hosted local events at a grove on his farm in the late 19th century.<ref>{{Cite news | newspaper = Illinois State Register | date = 1950-06-23 | title = How They Were Named: Jerome and Leland Grove Named After Jerome Leland | author-first = Adolph | author-last =  Belval | page = 8 | via = Newsbank}}</ref> Much of the food served in Springfield's [[Leland Hotel (Springfield, Illinois)|Leland Hotel]] was grown on the Leland farm.<ref>{{Cite news| newspaper = Illinois Times | date = 2020-08-20 | url = https://www.illinoistimes.com/springfield/life-on-the-old-leland-farm/Content?oid=12496907 | access-date = 2023-05-21 | title = Life on the Old Leland Farm | author-first = Cinda Ackerman | author-last = Klickna }}</ref> The Leland farmhouse stood in Leland Grove until 2021, when it was demolished by its owner, Frank Vala.<ref>{{Cite news | newspaper = Illinois Times | url = https://www.illinoistimes.com/springfield/leland-grove-is-now-just-the-grove/Content?oid=13966270 | access-date = 2023-05-21 | title =  Leland Grove is now just The Grove | author-first = Karen Ackerman | author-last = Witter | date = 2021-08-19}}</ref> In 2022, the summer kitchen outbuilding from the farmhouse was moved from the site to [[Washington Park (Springfield, Illinois)|Washington Park]] in Springfield.<ref>{{Cite news | newspaper = State Journal-Register | url = https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/2022/02/26/summer-kitchen-historic-leland-grove-il-farm-house-move-springfield/6940615001/ | date = 2022-02-26 | access-date = 2023-05-21 | title = Leland Farmhouse summer kitchen to be moved Wednesday to Washington Park | author-first = Royale | author-last = Bonds}}</ref>

In 1957, Leland Grove residents (known as "Grovers") defeated a bid by the city of Springfield to annex their city.<ref name="3to1">{{Cite news | newspaper = Illinois State Journal | page = 1 | date = 1957-06-04 |  title = Leland Grove Turns Down Annexation By 3 To 1 Margin | via = Newsbank}}</ref> The question was put to a vote in both cities, and both city governments favored annexation. The outcome in Springfield was 5 to 1 in favor, but Grovers voted 3 to 1 against.<ref name="3to1"/> After the vote, Springfield withdrew fire protection from Leland Grove, which was left without fire protection until 1959.<ref>{{Cite news | newspaper = State Journal-Register | title = 'Mammoth' of the county: Annexation kept city's map maker working overtime | author-first = Amanda | author-last = Reavy | page = M7 | date = 2006-11-10 | via = Newsbank}}</ref> Subsequent efforts by Springfield to annex Leland Grove and neighboring villages followed in 1960, 1971 and 1976, but were also unsuccessful.<ref>{{Cite news | newspaper = State Journal-Register | date = 1976-03-01 | title = Mixed success for city's annexation plan | page = 4 | via = Newsbank}}</ref>

For the first twenty years of its existence, Leland Grove did not have a police department.<ref name="police-history">{{cite web | publisher = City of Leland Grove | access-date = 2023-05-21 | url = https://www.lelandgrove.com/index.asp?SEC=9E88FD53-9326-46E2-99F1-BA49A5AC9FA3 | title = The history of the Leland Grove Police Department }}</ref> Initially traffic enforcement was handled by residents calling the city government to report if a delivery truck had violated traffic laws, and then a city officer would contact the delivery company to report the violation.<ref name="reaches"/> In 1966, the city hired a private security agency.<ref name="police-history"/> The city has maintained its own police force since 1970.<ref name="police-history"/>