1700s Chief Shemauger of the Pottawatomie is born under a hickory tree near Boneyard Creek, about where the Jolly Roger now stands.
In the early days of the community, he continues to visit Urbana, where he has many friends among the settlers.
1822 The first pioneer cabin is built in what will become Urbana.
William Tompkins builds a home near Boneyard Creek, behind where the Courier Cafe now stands.
1833 Urbana is founded as county seat of new Champaign County.
The names come from Ohio, where another Urbana is the county seat of another Champaign County. Champaign County is settled relatively late because it is swampy, and because it is inaccessible by boat.
1836 The first of Champaign County's five courthouses is built.
It's a one-room log cabin. The fifth courthouse, built in 1901 and still in use, is on the same site as its four predecessors.
1840 Urbana's first church is founded.
The Methodists build the first church in Urbana, where the north end of Jumer's Castle Lodge parking lot is now located.
1854 Abraham Lincoln delivers a speech against slavery at the courthouse in Urbana.
Lincoln visits Urbana frequently as a lawyer on the 8th judicial circuit.
1854 The Illinois Central Railroad reaches Urbana.
For the first time, Urbana is easy to reach from the outside world. Because the land west of Urbana is easier to build on, the railroad is built two miles west of the courthouse. The new community of West Urbana grows up around the station. In April 1860, West Urbana becomes Champaign.
1863 The first street railway connects downtown Urbana with the Illinois Central station to the west.
The horse-drawn line passes over the "stone-arch bridge," which still stands at the corner of Springfield and Second Street in Champaign.
Electric streetcars replace the horsecars, and the service continues until 1936.
1868 The University of Illinois opens its doors.
The first year, the University has only 13 professors and 77 students. In 1996, there are over 2,000 professors and 36,500 students, and the University is an institution with world-wide recognition.
1868 Busey Bank opens in downtown Urbana.
Busey Bank grows over the years to become a major commercial focus for east-central Illinois.
1871 The Great Urbana Fire.
On October 9, much of downtown Urbana burns to the ground. On the same day, 150 miles to the north, the Great Chicago Fire takes place. Both fires start in stables, Urbana's in a stable just south of where the Methodist church now stands.
1874 The Urbana Free Library founded.
It is one of the first tax-supported public libraries in Illinois. Located at the corner of Race and Elm Streets since 1918, the library grows to have one of the highest per capita use levels of all 610 public libraries in the state.
1901 An interurban electric railroad line is opened to Danville.
The Illinois Terminal Line eventually provides service to Danville, Bloomington, Decatur, Springfield, and St. Louis. Interurban service continues through 1956.
1927 The new swimming pool at Crystal Lake Park opens.
1931 Carle Foundation Hospital and Clinic founded.
Over the years, with the growth of Carle and of Covenant Medical Center, Urbana becomes a major medical hub in Illinois.
1933 Urbana money.
When Illinois closes its banks in the depths of the Great Depression, the Urbana Association of Commerce issues "Urbana money," which is used for a month and keeps the local economy alive.
1943 The University becomes a Naval training station during World War II.
1945 Willard Airport opens.
Commercial passenger flights begin in 1950.
1957 Magnavox opens a new plant in east Urbana.
1964 Lincoln Square opens as America's second indoor shopping mall.
The developers assemble about one hundred separate pieces of property on nine city blocks, removing all but the most important existing buildings.
1964 Mr. and Mrs. Herman Krannert provide funds for the construction of Krannert Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Illinois.
Thirty years later, Time magazine calls it "arguably the best performing arts center in the nation."
1965 Urbana builds a new city building, across the street from Lincoln Square.
It houses city offices, police, and fire. In 1995, the city breaks ground on a major addition to the building.
1970 Sunnycrest shopping center opens in southeast Urbana.
Within a few years, the Sunnycrest area becomes a major shopping focus for Urbana.
1973 Solo Cup begins production in its plant in east Urbana.
1976 After losing all of its magnificent elm trees to the Dutch elm disease in the 1950s and 1960s, Urbana plants thousands of new trees.
The city wins the first of its many Tree City USA awards in 1976.
1982 The first Urbana Sweet Corn Festival is held by Busey Bank, beginning a long-term Urbana end-of-summer tradition.
Additional sponsors of the festival soon include the Downtown Urbana Promotion Committee, Lincoln Square, and the City of Urbana.
1993 Urbana celebrates the 160th anniversary of its founding with the erection of a new city clock at the corner of Race and Elm Streets.
1996 - A category F-3 tornado created a 4 mile path of destruction across southeastern Urbana on April 19th.
Approximately $11 million damage occurred in Urbana, where 30 homes were destroyed and 80 more were damaged.
1998 - The Urbana City building opens after a much needed renovation and expansion and now houses all City departments except Public Works, which maintains facilities on Glover Street.
2001 - Urbana creates the Build Urbana Tax rebate program to encourage new development of single-family homes in Urbana after many years of slow housing growth.
As of 2006, over 690 homes had been built under the Build Urbana program in 11 new subdivisions.
2002 - Two and a half city blocks are razed to make way for a major addition to the Champaign County courthouse in downtown.
2003 - Urbana Middle School completed extensive renovations, and the Urbana Aquatic Center was constructed jointly with the Park District to allow students and residents a place to swim year-round.
2004 - New plans are announced to redevelop Lincoln Square into a multi-use facility to include retail, office, and residential space.
The renovation included the refitting of the former department store space into offices for Health Alliance Medical Plans to accommodate over 500 employees, as well as the addition of a fitness center and additional flexible retail areas in the Great Hall and on the east exterior of the building.
2005 - The Urbana Free Library completes a multi-million dollar expansion and renovation.
The library consists of over 50,000 square feet of space and boasts an outstanding children's department, archives, reading rooms, and more and is ranked in the top 1% of American libraries.
2006 - Super Walmart opens at High Cross Road and US 150 in east Urbana.
Rt. 130 is poised to become a major growth corridor over the next several years.