ðə tˈaʊn ʌv tʃˈɛstnʌt wʌz lˈeɪd ˈaʊt ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti tˈuː baɪ dˈeɪvɪd klˈɑːɹk ɪn kəndʒˈʌŋkʃən wɪððə dᵻɹˈɛktɚz ʌvðə ðˈɛn nˈuːli kəmplˈiːɾᵻd ɡˈɪlmən, klˈɪntən, ænd spɹˈɪŋfiːld lˈeɪɾɚ ðə spɹˈɪŋfiːld bɹˈæntʃ ʌvðɪ ˌɪlənˈɔɪ sˈɛntɹəl ɹˈeɪlɹoʊd.
The town of Chestnut was laid out in 1872 by David Clark in conjunction with the directors of the then newly completed Gilman, Clinton, and Springfield (later the Springfield branch of the Illinois Central railroad).