Why visit El Paso
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 8 places to eat and 2 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include El Paso freight station and El Paso Public Library.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 15°F, and about 22 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in El Paso
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About El Paso
El Paso (Spanish for 'The Step') is a city in Woodford and McLean counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 2,756 at the 2020 census. The Woodford County portion of El Paso is part of the Peoria metropolitan area.
From the Wikipedia article El Paso, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks3
El Paso freight station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
El Paso, Illinois, listed on the NRHP in Illinois
El Paso Public Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Public library in El Paso, Illinois
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Restaurants and cafes8
Woody's Family Restaurant
Diner · American · 0.5 mi
609 West Main Street, El Paso
Mo-Su 06:00-21:00
Where to stay2
History
El Paso was founded by George Gibson and James Wathen. Having traveled to California through Texas previously, Gibson gave it the Spanish name El Paso, either after El Paso County, Texas, the El Paso Mountains in California, or because of a nearby railroad junction.
The city developed at the intersection of the Illinois Central Railroad and the Toledo, Peoria, and Western Railroad. This junction contributed to the expansion of local commerce through the late 19th century. In 1857, the Peoria & Oquawka Railroad was built, linking Gilman on the Chicago branch to El Paso on the main line, thereby establishing a connection between these two significant divisions, and, on December 3, 1871, the Oilman, Clinton & Springfield Railroad, which connected the branch to the state capital, officially began operations. The Illinois Central Railroad, in particular, attracted numerous businesses and settlers, spurring economic growth and connecting the town to larger cities. This connection laid the foundation for El Paso's continued expansion into the late 1800s, fueling business and social activity.
From the History section of El Paso, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship10
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Healthcare2
Map of El Paso
41 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 15°F | 2.0 in | 5.9 in |
| Feb | 38°F | 19°F | 1.8 in | 5.2 in |
| Mar | 50°F | 29°F | 2.5 in | 3.2 in |
| Apr | 63°F | 39°F | 3.7 in | 0.8 in |
| May | 74°F | 51°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 61°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 64°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 62°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 54°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 66°F | 42°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 51°F | 31°F | 2.6 in | 1.1 in |
| Dec | 38°F | 21°F | 2.2 in | 5.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Minonk Hcn (12 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
McLean County has had 6 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2007-02-09: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2001-01-17: Illinois Winter Snow Storms (Snowstorm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal (BMI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Hudson 9 mi south, about 15 min by car
- Roanoke 10 mi northwest, about 17 min by car
- Minonk 12 mi north, about 19 min by car
- Eureka 14 mi west, about 22 min by car
- Lexington 14 mi southeast, about 22 min by car
- Normal 15 mi south, about 25 min by car
- Chenoa 15 mi east, about 24 min by car
- Bloomington 18 mi south, about 30 min by car
- Metamora 19 mi west, about 30 min by car
- Twin Grove 19 mi south, about 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- El Paso Illinois Post Office, ParentingPatch, CC BY-SA 4.0
- El Paso Public Library from southeast, Nyttend, Public domain
- 1894 Thometz, 129 W Front St, El Paso, Illinois, November 2024, HeatherMarieKosur, CC BY-SA 4.0
- El Paso, IL, city hall, TheCatalyst31, CC0
- Bike Path Front Street El Paso Illinois, ParentingPatch, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ICR & TPW depot site, El Paso, Nyttend, Public domain
- El Paso Tower 2 - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- ElPasoILLibrary, scanned by Gary Johnson; original creator unknown; not stated on card, Public domain
- Railroad depot, El Paso, IL, TheCatalyst31, CC0
- Woody’s Family Restaurant El Paso IL, ParentingPatch, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Santa Fe ATSF 6418 (B23-7) (10570049923), Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, CC0
- Santa Fe ATSF 6414 (B23-7) (10570043143), Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, CC0
- Santa Fe ATSF 6418 (B23-7) (10570039713), Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, CC0
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