From Wikipedia: Toluca was established in 1887 as a stop on the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway, on land owned by Marshall County native William Twist. In that year, local farmers led by Twist requested that the railroad make Toluca a regular stop. Their request was granted. With the backing of a Chicago firm, a grain elevator was built and maintained by Thomas Colehower of Long Point, Illinois. Colehower built the first house in the area of Toluca now called Old Town. In 1892, the Devlin Coal Company began mining coal at Toluca.
The population of Toluca had increased to 3,500 by 1894 and it was incorporated as a city. Its growth continued, fueled by immigrants from Poland, Italy, and Lithuania who came to work in the coal mines. In 1907, it had approximately 6,000 inhabitants. But by 1924, the coal mines were unprofitable and they closed down. The population shrank drastically as a result.
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