Kankakee became the county seat when Kankakee County was established in 1853. The largest city in the county, Kankakee embraced the railroad from its 19th-century beginning, becoming an important railroad hub in Illinois. The Kankakee County Historical Society has long worked to preserve the city�s history and it celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2006, making it one of Illinois� oldest historical societies. The images in this book come from the society�s large collection and they represent many slices of Kankakee life from 1853 to 1910.
