The History
of Vine Grove
Vine Grove is a small community of
about 4,000 residents that was named for the wild grape vines that grew in the area in the
early 1800s. The community was originally settled on Otter Creek in 1806. During the
1860’s the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad was laying tracks and the small settlement
moved approximately one mile to the east to be astride the railroad line. When Abraham
Lincoln’s family moved from Kentucky to Illinois their route took them through Vine
Grove. A historical marker located in the downtown area commemorates the city as being on
the "Route of the Lincoln’s." Fires destroyed much of Vine Grove in 1905
and 1908 but property owners promptly rebuilt.
The Civil War was no stranger to Vine Grove with both northern and
southern sympathizers living in the community. When General John Hunt Morgan’s
cavalry passed through Vine Grove on its way to raid Indiana and Ohio, a local blacksmith,
William Settle, repaired horseshoes for Morgan. After Morgan moved one, Settle was tied to
a tree and shot by northern sympathizers.
In the autumn of 2001, four Vine Grove residents got
together to write a song about the history of Vine Grove called "Ode to Vine
Grove". Click HERE to read the reprint of
the News-Enterprise article about the song and its authors.
The entire "Ode to Vine
Grove" song can now be heard on Steven Fairbank's Official Website: http://stevenfairbanks.com
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