Waverly, IL

Waverly is a Morgan County city in central Illinois, founded in 1836 on a square mile of fertile ground southwest of Springfield. The town's name came from the Waverley novels of Sir Walter Scott, but its later history was practical: rail service, farm trade, schools, and local businesses gave the place a durable role between Jacksonville and the state capital. Apple Creek tributaries drain the surrounding farmland toward the Illinois River.

Salter Park sits in the middle of the business district with a bandstand, pavilion, war memorial, basketball court, playground, and the setting for the annual Waverly Community Picnic. The city runs its own water and sewer systems, supports an elementary and high school, and has hosted the Waverly Holiday Tournament since 1951. Its Carnegie library adds another long-running civic room to the grid. Waverly is an Illinois farm city where a literary name, a central park, and school and sports traditions keep a small place connected to its region.