The southeastern Illinois location, just seven miles from the Indiana border, places the community within a landscape of scenic farmland punctuated by the low-production stripper wells that continue pumping crude from the historic Southeastern Oilfield discovered in 1906. Robinson is home to three Fortune 500 companies,s including Marathon Petroleum Company, The Hershey Company, and Dana Incorporated. “We have beautiful parks, a great school system, and good healthcare,” says Lisa Schaefer, executive director of the Robinson Chamber of Commerce. These quality-of-life factors form the foundation of a community that maintains its small-town character while working to attract new residents and businesses. The city’s parks and recreation infrastructure are particularly robust for a community of its size, offering amenities that larger municipalities might envy. Crawford County’s population of 18,679 spreads across a rural landscape where 67 percent of residents live outside urban areas. Robinson itself anchors this agricultural region, where farming remains central to the local economy alongside the petroleum industry. Marathon Petroleum Company operates a refinery in town, continuing the oil production legacy that once made Crawford County responsible for 98 percent of Illinois’ oil output in the early twentieth century. REIMAGINING DOWNTOWN AS A COMMUNITY GATHERING PLACE Robinson’s downtown square has undergone a deliberate transformation from purely commercial space into what Mayor Shimer calls “a park setting in the whole downtown area.” The city has invested in new streetscape lighting, extensive landscaping, and flower beds that create an atmosphere designed to draw families rather than just shoppers.“We’ve tried to create a park setting where we have markets, and we have a nighttime concert series in the summer,” Mayor Shimer explains. The strategy positions the square as a gathering spot for Crawford County’s residents, reinforcing Robinson’s identity as the county seat and community hub. Cross Street Station, developed within the downtown footprint, hosts regular events including farmers markets and evening concerts throughout the summer months. The approach indicates a broader shift in how small Midwestern towns are rethinking their commercial centers, moving beyond retailonly models to create multipurpose civic spaces. “We utilize it as a gathering spot for many outdoor events; it’s the hub for our community,” Mayor Shimer says.Any major event the city organizes ties into the downtown merchant area and the family-friendly setting they have cultivated. The beautification efforts extend beyond aesthetics into practical business support. Several storefronts currently sit vacant on the square, presenting both challenge and opportunity. The city works actively 81 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 07, ISSUE 02 ROBINSON, IL
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