Danville: Named for a Man Who Didn't Want the Honor

Danville was founded in eighteen twenty-seven on land donated by two early settlers, Guy Smith and Dan Beckwith. When organizer Amos Williams proposed naming the new town after Beckwith, Beckwith suggested they call it Williamsburg or Williamstown instead. Williams ignored him and named it Danville anyway.

Beckwith died eight years later from pneumonia after a winter ride from Washington. The city grew into Vermilion County's seat and one of the larger downstate Illinois cities. Over the twentieth century it became one of Illinois's most remarkable talent factories, raising Dick Van Dyke, his brother Jerry Van Dyke, Gene Hackman, and Donald O'Connor, and producing the jazz pianist Bobby Short, who was born there.

A wall of local celebrity portraits greets visitors in the historic Fischer Theatre downtown.