Road, which began at Cumberland, Maryland, was left by many at Terre Haute, Indiana. These people then followed what was known as the Terre Haute-Decatur-Springfield Trail, which passed south of Decatur, south of the Sangamon River, through what became Mt. Auburn and on to Springfield. The Village of Mt. Auburn was founded in 1839, located on an elevation about fifty feet above the surrounding country. In the "Springfield Journal" of September 18, 1839, the new village was described as follows: "This elevation is most beautiful and commands an extensive view, overlooking the country for some ten or fifteen miles, and embracing within the limits of vision the towns of Allenton, Stonington, and but for an intervening skirt of time Edinburg, and part of Sangamon and Logan counties. The improvements in Mt. Auburn are at this time limited. It was surveyed and platted by J.R. Skinner, on July 11, 1839. Not a blow had been struck for its improvement until this date. Now it has one large store, one large barn designed for the use of a tavern, and one dwelling house. Materials are now collected for the erection of a brick tavern house, which it is intended will be second to none in the state. Within a circuit of eight miles around Mt. Auburn 140 families are located. The population recently arrived is mostly from the New England states. The old residents are generally from Kentucky, Tennessee and the south. "This tract of country, for beauty, fertility and health, we do not believe is exceeded in any location in the state. The land is gently and agreeable undulating, such as any eastern man would select for a farm, every foot of which seems capable of cultivation." Established on May 8 of that year, the Mt. Auburn Post Office is reputed to be the oldest now in existence in Christian County. For years, rumor had it that Mt. Auburn was even considered as a site for the state capital, along with Springfield, Quincy and East St. Louis, when the capital was moved from Vandalia. The first steam mill in the county was done by John B. Augur in Mt. Auburn in the summer of 1840. It consisted of a saw mill and one pair of burrs for grinding corn. Augur settled in Mt. Auburn as an agent of an Eastern colony company that owned a tract of land containing about 40,000