ship ▁th riv ed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 3 0 s , ▁increasing ▁in ▁population ▁and ▁business es . ▁In ▁ 1 8 3 5 ▁the ▁first ▁school house ▁was ▁built . ▁G illes pie ▁was ▁officially ▁incorpor ated ▁as ▁a ▁town ▁in ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 8 5 3 . ▁By ▁ 1 9 0 4 , ▁the ▁population ▁rose ▁to ▁ 3 , 1 0 0 ▁and ▁there ▁were ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁business es , ▁churches , ▁and ▁schools . ▁On ▁January ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 9 0 5 , ▁a ▁giant ▁fire ▁swe pt ▁through ▁the ▁entire ty ▁of ▁the ▁business ▁district ▁and ▁destroyed ▁most ▁business es ▁and ▁some ▁homes . ▁ ▁For ▁years , ▁G illes pie ' s ▁main ▁source ▁of ▁employ ment ▁was ▁the ▁multiple ▁mines ▁scattered ▁throughout ▁the ▁town ship ▁operated ▁by ▁the ▁Chicago ▁& ▁North western ▁Rail road ▁Company . ▁It ▁is ▁said ▁that ▁G illes pie ▁bo asted ▁three ▁of ▁the ▁largest ▁coal ▁mines ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁G illes pie ▁is ▁named ▁for ▁Judge ▁Joseph ▁G illes pie , ▁who ▁was ▁active ▁in ▁Illinois ▁state ▁politics . ▁ ▁Education ▁G illes pie ▁is ▁home ▁to ▁G illes pie ▁C . U . S . D . ▁# 7 , ▁which ▁oper ates ▁G illes pie ▁High ▁School , ▁G illes pie ▁Middle ▁School , ▁and ▁Ben - G il ▁Element ary ▁School . ▁ ▁Geography ▁G illes pie ▁is ▁located ▁at ▁ ▁( 3 9 . 1 2