Urbana, Illinois
Not to be confused with Urbana, Champaign County, Ohio
Urbana is a city in and the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 41,250 at the 2010 census. Urbana is the tenth-most populous city in Illinois outside of the Chicago metropolitan area.
Most of the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is located in Urbana.
History
The Urbana area was first settled in 1822, when it was called "Big Grove". When the county of Champaign was organized in 1833, the county seat was located on 40 acres of land tendered by Col. M. W. Busey, considered to be the city's founder, and the name "Urbana" was adopted after Urbana, Ohio, the hometown of State Senator Vance. The creation of the new town was celebrated for the first time in July 4, 1833.
The first mills were founded c.1838-50, and stores began opening beginning in 1834. The town's first church was built c.1840, with the Baptist Church following in 1855, and the Methodist Church in 1856. The Presbyterian Church was founded in 1856. The city's first school was built in 1854.
