Standard, IL

Standard is a quiet village tucked away in Putnam County, with roots that stretch back to the early 1900s coal boom. The town originally sprang up around a railroad spur and a new mine shaft, quickly filling with company homes and boarding houses for local workers. It took a few tries to settle on a permanent name, too. After going by Berry and then Taft, residents officially chose Standard in 1914 to clear up postal confusion with another town.

While the mining days wound down by the mid-1920s, that history helped shape the village's compact, neighborly layout. Today, Standard offers a peaceful, small-town atmosphere where people appreciate a slower pace of life. Residents enjoy quiet streets and open skies, while everyday essentials, schools, and dining in nearby Granville, Oglesby, and the broader Illinois Valley are just a short drive away.