Shirley Ghost Town
McLean County, Illinois40.4072, -89.0625
Can you visit?
Private land, lived-in town
Private or unlisted land · Streets public, lots private
- Nearest town
- 5.4 miTwin Grove, IL
- Mild months
- Apr–Oct7 of 12
- Elevation
- 760 ft233 m
Shirley sits in McLean County, Illinois. People call it a ghost town, though 135 residents were counted in 2020. It lies at about 760 feet above sea level.
On the map
- Private or unlisted
Star: Shirley. Dots: other ghost towns within 40 miles, colored by land manager. Squares: towns over 1,000 people. Rings are straight-line distance. Live map: © OpenFreeMap, OpenMapTiles, OpenStreetMap contributors.
The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Twin Grove, IL, about 5.4 miles north in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Bloomington, IL, 6.8 miles away.
Ghost towns nearby
- Benjaminville14 mi east
- Kumler27 mi east
- Cayuga45 mi northeast
- Civer56 mi west
- Sugarville57 mi west
- Fillmore60 mi southeast
- Cardiff60 mi northeast
- Bybee60 mi west
Distances are straight lines. Roads to ruins are often dirt, and a 20-mile hop can take an hour.
Who owns the land
Private or unlisted land
The town center is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. People still live here, so streets are open while buildings and lots belong to their owners. Ask before you step onto a property.
The point is the town location from Wikidata, and the land record is from PAD-US 3.0 (USGS). Ruins can spread past that point, and land changes hands faster than the database. How we read PAD-US.
Weather by month
Mild months here run April to October, judging by NOAA normals from Bloomington 5W.
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the Bloomington 5W station (USC00110764), 5.6 miles away. About 40.4 inches of precipitation a year.
Facts
| Location | McLean County, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40.40720, -89.06250 |
| Elevation | 760 ft (233 m) |
| Census counts | 2020: 135 |
| Also known as | Shirley, Illinois, Shirley, IL |
| Sources | Wikidata Q7498663 · Wikipedia article |
Questions
Where is Shirley ghost town?
In McLean County, Illinois, at 40.4072, -89.0625. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Twin Grove, IL, about 5.4 miles north in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Bloomington, IL, 6.8 miles away.
Can you visit Shirley?
Private land, lived-in town. The town center is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. People still live here, so streets are open while buildings and lots belong to their owners. Ask before you step onto a property.
When is the best time to visit Shirley?
Mild months here run April to October, judging by NOAA normals from Bloomington 5W.
Are there other ghost towns near Shirley?
Yes. Benjaminville (14 mi), Kumler (27 mi).
