have been put to different civic uses, including locations for the library, fire station, water tower, and school gymnasium. Early growth and change of name The early growth of Danvers was extremely slow. Although both Hall and Robb lived in the area, neither was a resident of the town. The first building in Concord was erected in 1837 by Nicholas Conger, but Conger himself does not seem to have lived there. The first actual resident was Asa Rankin. Eventually a small mill was erected by Hobson and Havens. In the words of the 1879 county history, “For more than six years the place was nearly lifeless.” In 1848 or 1849 a Post office was established in Concord. Most of the early rural settlement around the new town was near Stout’s Grove, which began just west of Concord, and for the first twenty years of the town’s life the prairie to the north east and south was used mainly as open grazing land. In 1836 Illinois had no way of regulating town names and popular names were frequently repeated. There were at least two other places in Illinois named Concord. Therefore, in 1861, the name of the town was changed to Danvers. The new name was taken from the town of Danvers in Essex County, Massachusetts. During the late 1840s and early 1850s the town grew more rapidly. Danvers was incorporated as a village under a special charter on 7 May 1869. Railroads and inter-urbans In the late 1850s and 1860s, farmers began moving into the prairies around the newly renamed town, which became the center of an exceptionally productive agricultural district. It became clear that if Danvers was going to ship grain, a railroad was essential. In the 1850s the Illinois Central and the Chicago and Alton railroads had both passed through McLean County, but neither came close to Danvers. A town meeting was held and it was decided that Danvers would subscribe to $50,000 in railroad bonds. Many other communities in the state were taking similar action, something most of them came to regret: the bonds were quickly sold in the Europe or the East and the taxpayers of towns and townships were forced to pay for railroads that often provided indifferent service. On November 25, 1869 a celebration was held in Danvers to hail the arrival of the first train. A great public picnic was held and large