Geneseo, Illinois

Geneseo is a city in Illinois in the United States.

Established in 1836, the town is known for its rich history and Victorian architecture.

Founded by seven (possibly eight) families from Geneseo and Bergen, New York, two towns in Genesee County. All of them were abolitionists. Geneseo used to mean "beautiful valley" in the language of Iroquois. They aimed to establish a "church in the wilderness" and the Stewart, Bartletts, Cones, and many more. They called themselves the "New York Committee". The heads of the Stewart family, Ward family, and the Seyller families all choose the area smack-dab in the middle of Henry County. They purchased 2,000 acres from the current Colona Township after getting lessons on guidance from Thomas Ford, the future Governor of Illinois. The town became an official American city in 1865. Because of how the Civil War and the Victorian era were happening, the town is currently rich with history. Around seven places have confirmed records of being slave shelters and guides during the war. By Southwest Elementary School, a house-now used as a perfectly fine estate- has a flat-roofed, round circle of windows. They used to put up flags. There's a rhyme that has barely any records surviving today, that explains the colors of the flags and when it was safe to go. And in the Geneseo Historical Museum, in the basement, there's a tunnel that the slaves were said to hide in. There's also servant quarters upstairs in the museum.