MinonkTalkNews and History for Minonk, IL

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Origins

Minonk is a farming community with a growing industrial base. It has a population of 2200 people with a diverse ethnic mixture. The largest ethnic group is German many of whom are farmers. The other large ethnic groups are English, Irish and Polish. Many people settled in Minonk in the 1800's to take up farming in some of the richest farmland in the world. Minonk was also a coal mining community that drew many immigrants from Europe. However, the coal mines closed in 1951 and the number of farmers has gradually declined due to the mechanization of agriculture.


Churches

Minonk has many churches that serve all types of denominations. Click on one of the lines below to learn more about a church.

Immanuel Lutheran Church
- 318 West Fourth Street
Minonk Baptist Church

- 503 Locust Street
St. Patrick Church (Catholic)

- 420 E. Sixth
St. Paul's United Church of Christ

- 236 West Fifth
United Methodist Church

- 306 East Sixth


Parks & recreation

Minonk has three parks that provide recreational and social facilities for the community. The parks contain a pavilion and shelters for social gatherings as well as athletic fields, a skateboard park, and an inline hockey rink that serve a wide variety of sporting events.

Click on a line below to learn more about the park.

Medical

Minonk has excellent medical facilities. A new medical office was built by the OSF medical group in 1992. A paid and volunteer ambulance squad is on call 24 hours a day. Seven hospitals are located within a 25 minute drive.

Dr. Thomas Caldwell 
120 East Seventh Street
OSF Medical Group

Fieldcrest Dental
430 N. Chestnut
Dentist
309-432-2833
Minonk Ambulance Service
670 North Chestnut Street

Heritage Manor nursing home
201 Locust Street
309-432-2557


Minonk Today

In the last 30 years Minonk has gradually become more of a small industrial base with machine shops providing much of the local employment. Because of its close proximity to Bloomington and Peoria and because it is located on Interstate 39, Minonk has become a bedroom community for people who work out of town. It also has become a good place for retirees to live. The area is blessed with a low cost of living, low congestion and pollution, low crime rate and an excellent school system.

Downtown

Downtown Minonk has many quaint buildings and ample parking for shoppers. To learn more about downtown Minonk, click here.


Schools

The Fieldcrest school district serves the communities of Minonk, Toluca, Wenona, Dana and Rutland. The Fieldcrest high school is located in Minonk at the end of East Fifth street and Maple Avenue. Middle schools and grade schools are located in the individual communities. To learn more about the Fieldcrest school district, click here.


Filger Library

The Filger Library is located at the corner of 5th and Locust streets. Its hours are:

Monday - Thursday 9 - 5
Friday - Saturday 9 - 12

Telephone: 309/432-2929

Web site: https://minonklibrary.wordpress.com/

Email: filgerlibrary@frontier.com


Residential

Minonk has a wonderful residential area of stately older homes mixed with newer homes. With its tree-lined brick streets, Minonk's residential area exudes character and quaintness not found in today's newer communities. Click here to view some of Minonk's homes.