Parker City, also known simply as Parker, is a former settlement in Johnson County,

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

, United States. Parker City was west of New Burnside, south of Creal Springs, and founded at the crossings of the former

Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway The Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway, also known as the Big Four Railroad and commonly abbreviated CCC&StL, was a railroad company in the Midwestern United States. It operated in affiliation with the New York Central system. ...

and Marion to Brookport branch of the

Illinois Central Railroad The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, was a railroad in the Central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois, with New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama. A line also co ...

. The town was named after George Washington Parker, a former president of the St. Louis, Alton and Terre Haute Railroad, which was a predecessor to the Big Four. At its peak the town reached a population of nearly 300, but slowly began to decline in the 1920s. At one time, there were two hotels, two stores, a post office, dining rooms, and restaurants. Also, two barbershops were always full of customers. The Parker City Post Office opened for business December 28, 1889 and closed down October 31, 1941. There were approximately 40 houses in Parker City during its peak.textsA history of Johnson County, Illinois, Chapman, Leorah May Copeland, Mrs. P. T. Chapman, 1925

References

Unincorporated communities in Johnson County, Illinois Unincorporated communities in Illinois {{JohnsonCountyIL-geo-stub