Paris is a city in Paris Township, Edgar County, Illinois, USA, 19 miles (31 km) northwest of Terre Haute, Indiana. Paris adopted the commission form of government in 1915. In 1900, 6,105 people lived in Paris, Illinois; in 1910, 7,664; and in 1940, 9,281. The population was 8,837 at the 2010 census. Paris is the county seat of Edgar County.
In 1816, the land that is now Edgar County was offered for sale by the federal government. Through a treaty with the Kickapoo Indians, they acquired the land. The following year, settlers began arriving, many via an Indian trail that became the Chicago-Vincennes Road (Illinois Route 1).
In 1822, Samuel Vance, a Virginian who moved to Illinois after a short stay in Kentucky, purchased 26 acres in the center of what was to become Edgar County. Two years later, Vance and his wife donated the 26 acres to the state to establish a new county seat.
Incorporated as a village in 1849, it is most likely that Paris got its name from the word “Paris” carved on the side of an old jack-oak tree in the center of today’s downtown.
Paris was the home of a minor league baseball team in the 1950s named the Paris Lakers. A contest was held among the community to decide on a name for the team. The winning submission, Paris Lakers, was sent in by James C. Dickey. The Paris Lakers were the 1956 Midwest League Champions and were an affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.
During the 1980s, the city had tremendous growth with the relocation of various industries. Today, the city is experiencing a new era of development. Nearly 9,000 residents call Paris home.