Fairmount Map
Fairmount is a village in Vance Township, Vermilion County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the 'Danville, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 640 at the 2000 census.
Josiah Hunt, a railroad engineer, reportedly used inside information about the coming of the Great Western Railroad to purchase 40 acres (160,000 m2) of land along the new route to found a town. He originally named the town Salina, but this was changed because of an existing Illinois town named Saline; Francis Dougherty, an early settler, is said to have selected the name Fairmount. The town was incorporated in 1863.
Coal mining was attempted east of Fairmount, but this proved to be impractical because of water. Later, Jacob C. Sandusky discovered an outcropping of limestone in his farm, and quarries were established which at one time employed about 400 people. The quarries are now flooded and make a popular fishing location.
Nearby cities include Westville, Tilton, Allerton, Georgetown, Danville.