Jordon, Illinois

Jordon, Illinois, was a small town in mid-southern Illinois, located in Clay County, established approximately in 1860. Land was donated by William Jordon, and the first of several businesses were established thereon. In 1920, one of the first concrete highways in southern Illinois was started, and the survey of the road (currently named U.S. Route 45, running between Louisville, Illinois, and Effingham, Illinois) was initiated. Keeping with the axiom that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line (in this case between Louisville and Effingham), the road survey took the planned route .29 miles to the west of where Jordon was located. Unfortunately for Jordon, this was just enough distance to make their little village too much out of the way to attract traffic on the new highway (which the local merchants hope to capitalize on to increase their business sales).

Small towns in Illinois at the turn of the 20th century were places for farmers to buy and sell grain, do some banking, buy goods at the general store, get blacksmith work done, and of course attend church. The merchants in Jordon reasoned that if the new route 45 would not come to them, then they would go to Route 45. Records are conflicting on whether it was John Hord or George Hord who owned land adjacent to the new Route 45, but one of them (or perhaps both) donated approximately forty acres to form a new town that would be named after him. Over a span of six months beginning in 1921, each business (including the Jordon community church) who wanted to relocate physically had their business jacked up and moved on wagons to be located next to the new highway. (There are interviews with local inhabitants which indicate that two merchants did not relocate, but chose to stay in Jordon). One by one, each business that chose to relocate was given a plot of land on which to place their establishment, and when completed the new town of Hord, Illinois, was born, and the town of Jordon was no more.

Hord did prosper as a thriving community in the 1920s through the late 1960s. Hord had at one time two car dealerships, several filling stations, two general stores, and many houses. Today (2013), Hord consists of no stores and some older homes. The original church from Jordon relocated to Hord is still in use.

Jordon was located 38.55.03.12 degrees NORTH, and 88.30.56.89 degrees WEST.

References

• Elliot, Ernest (1969). History of Clay County Illinois. Flora, Illinois: Martin Printing and Album Company. p. 151.