Early History of Salem, Illinois @ TourSalem!!

It was the largest earthquake in the history of the new American republic that brought the first settlers to Salem. The New Madrid (Missouri) quake of 1811 - the quake that caused the Mississippi River to flow backwards and church bells to ring as far away as Boston - sent Capt. Samuel Young searching for a more hospitable home. Finding abundant game and tranquility when he reached present-day Salem, he made camp on what is now the courthouse square.

In the 1820's, a severe drought hit northern and central Illinois, which contributed to the wagon loads of people traveling to southern Illinois to obtain food and grain for themselves and their livestock. As this was compared to the Biblical story of Israel going to Egypt to purchase grain, southern Illinois become known as "Egypt" and also "Little Egypt." Salem became the "Gateway of Little Egypt."

Salem was founded in 1823 as the County Seat of the newly formed Marion County. It is situated halfway between the Indiana and Missouri borders on what was originally the Vincennes-St. Louis Road, now U.S. Highway 50 (which goes from Washington, D.C. to San Francisco). Thus, Salem evolved into a stagecoach stop on the Vincennes Trail. Salem snoozed while the western migration of land-hungry settlers passed though its gates. Although most of the Conestoga rolled through Salem, enough stopped to deposit their cargoes that Salem was eventually incorporated as a village in 1855. There is a legend of gold associated with one particular stagecoach stop.

The original name of the town was Decatur, but that had to be changed prior to the establishment of a post office, as there was already a Decatur, Illinois. The name was changed to Salem, after the town from which founders Rufus Ricker and Mark Tully had come from in Indiana. Salem became a city in 1855, and the first elected mayor, Warren McMackin, was the first of five generations of the McMackin family to hold the office.

In 1888, an interesting and colorful character came upon the Salem scene. Sam Joles migrated with his gypsy clan from Somersetshire, England. He was elected Barasau (Chief) of the clan and spent winters in Salem with his wife, "Aunt Betsy." Joles became a respected horse trader in the area and was well accepted by the Salem townspeople. After his death in 1927, Joles was buried in Salem's East Lawn Cemetery. The "Brothers of the dark blood and tent" return to Salem each Memorial Day to hold a 24--hour vigil for Joles and other gypsies buried in East Lawn.

TourSalem!! Proudly Presents:

Southern Illinois Bluegrass & BBQ Festival

Proud Member of: