Your Guide to Buying a Home in Troy, IL

Buying a Home in Troy, Illinois

Troy is located in Madison County

Troy is one of the oldest settlements in Madison County. Sometime prior to 1804, Jacob Gregg and Mr. Moore created the first settlement within the city limits of Troy. On September 10, 1814, John Jarvis entered Troy at the Edwardsville United States Land Office. Illinois became a state in 1818. At that time, the central portion of Troy was known by the name of "Columbia". It contained a horse grist mill owned by John Jarvis, a dry goods store kept by Stephen Dewey, a tavern kept by Joseph Eberman, and a few homes.

In 1819, James Riggin and David Hendershott purchased about 10 acres from John Jarvis, paying $10 per acre and built a town site. The two surveyed the tract into lots and laid out the town. James Riggins named the town Troy.

The growth of the town was gradual but stable. The first public school was established in 1824 and the first Christian School was established in 1864. In 1833, the citizens welcomed the first town post office. The town grew to encompass 26 acres by 1840. In 1842, the first in town church was established. By 1846, Troy's population was still fewer than 100. Troy was incorporated in 1857 by a special act of the legislature. The first Board of Trustees President was John Padon.

Troy began to prosper greatly due to the National Road being surveyed through the city. This route brought stagecoaches running between St. Louis and Terre Haute, Indiana. Travelers that left St. Louis in the morning would reach Troy in the early afternoon and change horses. Travelers going to St. Louis from Terre Haute would pass through Troy

late at night. When the east and west became connected by railroad, the stage line was no longer used. A hack line was established between Highland and St. Louis for the existing travelers and the carrying of federal mail. The line passed through Troy until the completion of the Vandalia Railroad in 1866.

Even though the stagecoach market diminished, Troy steadily continued to grow. The plot of Brookside, which lies on the south end of the City in the vicinity of the Vandalia Depot, was recorded September 26, 1873. Brookside was annexed in the spring of 1891. Troy's steady growth gave it a sufficient population for City organization in 1892 and Jacob F. Clepper was elected as the first Mayor of Troy.

Two significant historical celebrations include a visit from President Truman and the 100th Anniversary celebration. After his term of office, President Harry Truman rode in a Troy Homecoming parade. Troy celebrated the "Troy 100th Anniversary" during the 1957 Homecoming. To celebrate, many of the men in Troy grew beards and citizens wore ancestral clothing.

In 1978, the Troy area was the third fastest growing area in the United States. This rapid growth is a contrast to the city's prior slow yet steady population growth. The City grew by 75.9 percent between the 1970 population of 2,144 and the 1980 population of 3,694. In 1985 a special census was conducted due to the city growth. The population had increased to 5,131. The 1990 census population of 6,046 showed a marked increase of 60 percent from 1980. Due to continued rapid growth, the city conducted another special census in 1995 and the official population count was 7,329. Troy's population continues to grow and is estimated at over 8,000.

Residential growth has encouraged upgraded services and business growth. To name a few, the City has a new wastewater treatment plant, an addition to the firehouse, new school buildings, new library, and enlarged park. Businesses are locating, building, and growing in the city.