building which was used until a better one was moved from Kempton, Illinois on a flat car. James Fitzmaurice was the first permanent station agent. David Farmer built a brick building, known as the Cullom Hotel, on Maple Street which was used for many purposes. Some of the early businessmen rented space there to start a store before buying a building of their own. The first school in Cullom was built about 1880. It was a frame building and consisted of two rooms. The primary room on the lower floor and the intermediate grades on the upper floor. Although Cullom was started in 1878, it was not incorporated until July 27, 1882, the charter being signed by James A. Rose, Secretary of State. Election of the village officers was held in August with the following being elected: Mayor: Jesse Hatfield; Trustees: Frederick Hack, Dr. Z. L. Kay, James Dorsey, J.W. White, A. Loubke; Clerk: W. C. Bullard. The town was enlarged in 1901 and 1902 with the Hertlein’s addition to the south and east and Peterdorf’s addition to the west. A few years later Heckelmans addition to the east and north further enlarged the village. By the early 1900s the population of Cullom had risen to over 500. H. G. Steiman of Melvin, Illinois came to Cullom and opened the first bank called the First National Bank in 1907. At one time Cullom had four grocery stores, five saloons, two hotels, a bank, a milliner shop, a hardware store, a drug store, a post office, a clothing store, a pool and billiard hall, a cobbler, a baker, a confectionery and ice cream parlor, a shoe store, two barbershops, a tin shop, two blacksmith shops, a glove factory, two livery barns, a cement factory, three doctors, a weekly newspaper, a tile factory, and two grain elevators. Geography Cullom is located in eastern Livingston County at (40.878205, -88.268981). It is the only incorporated community in Sullivan Township. Illinois Route 116 passes through the village, leading west to Pontiac, the county seat, and east to Ashkum. Route 116 connects to Interstate 55 on the west side of Pontiac and to Interstate 57 on the west side of Ashkum. According to the 2010 census, Cullom has a total area of , all land. Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 563 people, 248 households, and 155 families residing in the village. The