Editing Monticello, Illinois (section)

== History ==
[[File:Monticello Illinois Post Office.jpg|thumb|left|Monticello Post Office]]
Monticello's first non-native resident was George Hayworth.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52863281/old-settlers-reunion/ |title=Old Settlers' Reunion |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |location=Monticello, Illinois |page=2 |date=1888-08-15 |access-date=2020-06-05 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Hayworth came to the area in 1822 to serve as a U.S. liaison agent to local Native American tribes. Hayworth did not remain, but in 1829, James A. Piatt purchased Hayworth's small log cabin. Soon more settlers arrived.

In 1837, residents decided to form a new town. Abraham Marquiss, William Barnes, James McReynolds, and James A. Piatt Jr. formed a joint stock company and purchased land from James A. Piatt. Upon McReynolds' suggestion, the town was christened Monticello – after the [[Monticello|home of Thomas Jefferson]]. Monticello officially became a town on July 1, 1837. Townsfolk held a celebration on July 4.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52864138/the-senator-says/ |title='The Senator Says' |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |location=Monticello, Illinois |page=4 |date=1952-07-29 |access-date=2020-06-05 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

The first house in the new town was built by a Mr. Cass who used the building as his home and a grocery store. The second house was a log cabin built by John Tenbrooke. In 1839, Nicholas DeVore built the "Old Fort" which was later used as a hotel. Monticello continued to grow as the population increased over the next decade.

George Patterson and other prominent citizens of the area were unhappy with the travel distance to the county seat to conduct legal business, and petitioned to establish a new county. At the time, Monticello was part of [[Macon County, Illinois|Macon County]], whose seat is in [[Decatur, Illinois|Decatur]], nearly 30 miles away. The northern part of present-day Piatt County was part of [[DeWitt County, Illinois|DeWitt County]] whose seat is at [[Clinton, Illinois|Clinton]]. The [[Illinois General Assembly]] established a new county on January 27, 1841. By coin toss, the county was named [[Piatt County, Illinois|Piatt County]], in honor of the first permanent settler, James A. Piatt.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.piatthistory.org/?page_id=425|title=County History|website=www.piatthistory.org|date=June 25, 2023|access-date=2023-06-25}}</ref> As Monticello was the only town in the new county at the time, it was named the county seat. The government of the new county began conducting business on April 5, 1841, in the "Old Fort." In 1843, the first courthouse was built on land donated by William H. Piatt. The second courthouse was built in 1856, and the present courthouse was completed in 1904.

Monticello's star resident arrived in 1885. Dr. William B. Caldwell came to practice medicine in Monticello but his homemade mixture of senna and [[pepsin]] brought Monticello to a level of national prominence. The Pepsin Syrup Company was founded in 1893, and became the leading employer in the city for decades until its closure in 1985.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52864360/plant-closes-but-memories-will-remain/ |first=Mark H. |last=Lambert |title=Plant closes, but memories will remain |newspaper=[[Herald & Review]] |location=Monticello |page=5 |date=1985-10-16 |access-date=2020-06-05 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The building in which it operated has since been demolished. The site is now used as an unofficial soccer practice field.

[[File:SyrupPepsin.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Bottle of the Syrup Pepsin Company. It reads Monticello, Illinois on the left side.]]
In 1987 the 150th birthday of the town was celebrated with an open air [[Historical reenactment|reenactment]] and other festivities.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52864521/monticello-sesquicentennial/ |title=Monticello Sesquicentennial |newspaper=[[Herald & Review]] |page=31 |date=1987-07-11 |access-date=2020-06-05 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

The [[Potawatomi Trail of Death]] passed through the town in 1838.

In a 2012 episode of the [[Comedy Central]] program ''[[The Daily Show]]'', host [[Jon Stewart]] used the town in a joke segment, referring to it as Dogshit Bluffs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.smilepolitely.com/splog/dogshit_bluffs_located_near_monticello_says_daily_show/|title=Dogshit Bluffs located near Monticello, says Daily Show : SPlog : Smile Politely|website=www.smilepolitely.com|date=October 26, 2012 |access-date=2018-06-07}}</ref>

[[File:Monticello, Illinois buildings on Charter Street.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Two-story brick buildings.|Buildings on Charter Street]]