Mendota, Illinois
Mendota is a city of 6,994 people in LaSalle County, Illinois, founded in 1855.
Why visit Mendota
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 5 parks and trails, 8 places to eat and 2 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Mendota Museum & Historical Society.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 12°F, and about 30 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Mendota
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Mendota
Mendota is a city in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States, in the state's north-central region. The population was 7,061 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Ottawa, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area. Mendota is located approximately 85 miles (137 km) west of Chicago, 70 miles (110 km) east of Moline and 55 miles (89 km) south of Rockford.
From the Wikipedia article Mendota, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks1
Mendota Museum & Historical Society
Museum · 1.3 mi
901 Washington Street, Mendota
Tu-We,Fr 08:30-13:30; PH off
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Veterans Park
Park · 1.2 mi
Park in the center part of town with tables and a gazebo and has war memorials around the whole park.
Restaurants and cafes8
McDonald's
Fast food · Burger · 1.4 mi
1503 13th Avenue
Mo-Th 05:30-23:00; Fr-Sa 05:30-24:00; Su 05:30-23:00
Where to stay2
Quality Inn & Suites Mendota near I-39
Motel and hotel · 1.9 mi
1307 Kailash Drive, Mendota
History
In summer of 1853, the Illinois Central Railroad was completed and crossed the existing Chicago and Aurora Railroad. The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad completed the crossing at the present site of Mendota. By the following year, the population had grown to more than 1,000 and the town was home to saloons, hotels, and various shops. The town was incorporated as a village in 1855 and reincorporated as a town in 1859. By 1860, the town was also home to churches of 5 denominations.
With the availability of the railroads to facilitate export, several manufactures of items ranging from organs to cigars and buttons opened factories in Mendota. By the end of the American Civil War, the population of the town had more than doubled to over 2,000. By winter of 1866, citizens voted on a referendum to secure a city government. Mendota was incorporated into its current city government on April 9, 1867.
A library was opened on September 8, 1874, with 1700 books secured by donation. It was acquired by the city government in 1894. The original building was replaced in 1905 by a new Carnegie Library.
From the History section of Mendota, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship11
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries11
Healthcare1
Map of Mendota
45 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°F | 12°F | 1.6 in | 9.6 in |
| Feb | 32°F | 16°F | 1.7 in | 6.7 in |
| Mar | 45°F | 26°F | 2.2 in | 3.6 in |
| Apr | 59°F | 36°F | 3.2 in | 0.9 in |
| May | 70°F | 48°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 58°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 62°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 60°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 52°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 62°F | 40°F | 3.0 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 28°F | 2.4 in | 1.7 in |
| Dec | 33°F | 18°F | 1.9 in | 7.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Paw Paw 2S (10 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
LaSalle County has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for snowstorms.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-11-26: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Tornado)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2008-10-03: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Illinois Valley Regional Airport (VYS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 14 miles away.
- Earlville 9 mi east, about 15 min by car
- Ladd 13 mi southwest, about 22 min by car
- Leland 16 mi east, about 26 min by car
- Amboy 17 mi northwest, about 27 min by car
- Ottawa 20 mi southeast, about 32 min by car
- Granville 21 mi south, about 34 min by car
- Lake Holiday 23 mi east, about 37 min by car
- Marseilles 27 mi southeast, about 44 min by car
- Dixon 28 mi northwest, about 45 min by car
- DeKalb 31 mi northeast, about 51 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
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.