Appleton is a ghost town in Persifer Township, Knox County, Illinois, United States. Appleton lies approximately one mile north of U.S. Highway 150 and Interstate 74. Knox County Highway 12 runs from north to south through Appleton and the tracks of the BNSF Railway run east to west. Court Creek also flows through Appleton before its confluence with the Spoon River in Dahinda.

Appleton, Illinois
Appleton is located in Illinois
Appleton
Appleton
Appleton is located in the United States
Appleton
Appleton
Coordinates: 40°56′10″N 90°09′40″W / 40.936°N 90.161°W / 40.936; -90.161
CountryUnited States
StateIllinois
CountyKnox
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
61428
Area code309

History

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Appleton was laid out by J. H. Lewis in the spring of 1888, on the S.E. 1-4 of Section 16. It is situated on the north side of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and is a station on that road. In the early years of the time, Appleton became known for grain and stock exporting.[1]

The site of the original town today is empty except for several streets that served the town. Appleton formerly had a post office, as well as many homes and businesses but was prone to flooding. The size of the town shrank during much of the 20th century, and the final homes located in the original town were relocated to higher ground after the Great Flood of 1993.[citation needed]

A volunteer fire department serves the Appleton area.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Perry, Albert James (1912). History of Knox County, Illinois: Its Cities, Towns and People. S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-608-35866-6.
  2. ^ Southern Illinois University Department of Geology; The Polis Center (March 7, 2011). "Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan — Knox County" (PDF). Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security. p. 165. Retrieved June 8, 2024.