 The January 22, 1880 Litchfield News-Ledger newspaper stated, “Twenty-five years ago (1855), where now stands the beautiful and enterprising city of Litchfield, was an unimproved waste, inhabited only by wild beasts and wandering bands of red men.” There wasn't much else here other than some thick woods and a prairie.The famous “Big Woods” was just four miles away.But, the plentiful wood, nearby water, and rich black earth was appealing to settlers.