| Champaign Home Attractions Famous Residents Recreation Restaurants/Hotels/ Bed & Breakfast  |
Champaign ________________
Driving Directions
From Quincy take I-172 south 28 miles to I-72, take I-72 east to Champaign
about 188 miles.
Calendar of Events
For a detailed list of what’s happening in Champaign-Urbana
check out the Champaign-Urbana
website or the University
of Illinois calendar site for University events.
History
In 1822, William Tompkins built the first pioneer cabin in what is
now called Urbana. This area of Illinois was settled relatively late due
to the difficulty settlers had with the swamp-like areas. Urbana became
the county seat of Champaign County in 1833. By 1854, the Illinois Central
Railroad laid tracks about two miles west of town. A new community called
West Urbana rose around the new railroad station. After an unsuccessful
attempt of annexation by Urbana, West Urbana became Champaign in 1860. Today
these twin cities are separated by a single street.