Danville.
1 City (2020 pop. 29,204), seat of Vermilion co., E Ill., on
the Vermilion River at the Ind. line; inc. 1839. It is a commercial and
industrial center in a dairy, farm, and coal area. Coal was once a central
industry; agriculture and manufacturing have become predominant. Abraham
Lincoln
maintained a law office in Danville for five years. Nearby is Kickapoo State
Park, with a number of lakes. 2 City (2020 pop. 17,234), seat
of Boyle co., central Ky.; settled 1775, inc. 1836. One of the oldest
settlements in Kentucky, Danville is a manufacturing center in an
agricultural region. Of note is the Dr. Ephraim McDowell House, scene (1809)
of the first ovariotomy. Centre College and the first state-supported school
for the deaf (opened 1823) are also there. 3 City (2020 pop.
38,834), S central Va., on the Dan River; politically independent of, but
surrounded by, Pittsylvania co.; founded 1793, inc. 1870. It is a market and
processing point for bright leaf tobacco. The city was also known for its
huge Dan River textile mill (begun 1883; closed in 2006). During the Civil
War, Danville had a Confederate quartermaster depot, a hospital, and a
prison camp. In Apr., 1865, Jefferson Davis and his cabinet fled there from
Richmond. The Sutherlin Mansion, the “Last Capitol of the
Confederacy,” is a historical landmark. Other points of interest
include the home of Lady Nancy Witcher (Langhorne) Astor, who was born
in Danville; the National Tobacco and Textile Museum; and Averett Univ.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
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