Editing Pontiac, Illinois (section)

===Settlement===
Pontiac was established on July 27, 1837, by Henry Weed and brothers Lucius and Seth M. Young, who aimed to create the county seat for the newly formed Livingston County.<ref>''History of Livingston County Illinois'' (Chicago: LeBaron, 1878), pp. 242–243.</ref> [[Jesse W. Fell]] named the post office "Pontiac" in honor of [[Pontiac (Odawa leader)|the Native American leader]].<ref>''Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Livingston County Illinois'' (Chicago: Munsell, 1908) p. 8.</ref> The town was designed during a time of economic depression, and the founders promised land and financial contributions for essential infrastructure, such as a courthouse and a bridge across the [[Vermilion River (Illinois River tributary)|Vermilion River]].<ref>''History of Livingston'', 1878, p. 450.</ref> However, within weeks of the town's founding, the Young brothers died, and Weed soon drifted away, leaving others to fulfill the town's early promises.<ref>''History of Livingston'', 1878) p. 354.</ref> Before leaving the county, Weed had built the first house in Pontiac.<ref name="Livingston 1878, p. 243">''History of Livingston'', 1878, p. 243.</ref>

The town's layout was typical for mid-19th century Midwestern towns, centered around a public square. This design aimed to establish the town center and provide valuable land for future development. Isaac Wicher, the county surveyor, oversaw the layout, creating a plan with ninety-three blocks, most divided into eight lots.<ref>''History of Livingston'', 1878, p. 291.</ref> Early lots sold for as little as five dollars each, and the town extended across both sides of the Vermilion River.<ref>''Combined Atlases 1893 and 1911, Livingston County, Illinois'' (Mt. Vernon, Indiana: Windmill, 1998, pp. 21–22, 22–23.</ref><ref>''History of Livingston'', 1878, p. 295.</ref> Similar square-centered towns from this era include Metamora, Lexington, and Clinton.<ref>William D. Walters, Jr. ''Selling Location: Early Illinois Townsite Advertisements 1835–1837'' (Normal: Department of Geography – Geology, Illinois State University, 2010), pp. 10–14, 153. {{cite web |title=Archived copy |url=http://geo.illinoisstate.edu/about_us/ILLINOIS%20TOWN%20ADVERTISEMENTS%201835-1837.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100629143712/http://geo.illinoisstate.edu/about_us/ILLINOIS%20TOWN%20ADVERTISEMENTS%201835-1837.pdf |archive-date=June 29, 2010 |access-date=May 14, 2010}}</ref>

Initially, Pontiac had some advantages, including a good river crossing and a mill operated by James McKee. However, growth was slow, leading to challenges for Pontiac's status as the county seat. In the early 1840s it had only a half-dozen cabins and an unfinished courthouse, and everything was so scattered among "clumps of bushes" that the town was almost invisible.<ref>''History of Livingston'', 1878, p. 300.</ref> In 1839, opponents called for relocating the county seat to a more central location. They cited the town's underdeveloped infrastructure, but despite a vote in favor of relocation, the measure failed to achieve the required two-thirds majority.<ref>''History of Livingston'', 1878, p. 256.</ref> By 1847, the promised courthouse was completed, and in 1848, a hotel opened, providing a place for early social gatherings.<ref>''History of Livingston,'' 1878, p. 260.</ref>