Katie Hargrave / Urbana: Towards an Archive of John W. Vance

In Western Ohio there exists a town called Urbana in Champaign County, the same name as the University of Illinois'
home, which I have also called home for four years. In an effort to comprehend the making of a place, I researched the
beginnings of Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois and its father in Ohio.

In exploring, I have become interested in one character, John W. Vance, who grew up in Champaign Co., Ohio and
moved to East Central Illinois in 1824. This man was responsible for the naming of the city of Urbana and the County,
as in 1833 when Vermillion County was being split up, he lobbied for the name to be that of his childhood home.

Vance has been all but forgotten in the city of Urbana, Illinois despite his internal importance. Presented here is a
reappraisal of events and artifacts of this place as it is tied to John W. Vance. I attempt to signify the labor of the archive
and of memorial acts.

There are three pieces to the project: the hovel, the plat, and the monument.

Images of the Installation at OPENSOURCE Art

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