In 1819, Thomas Beard decided to build his town along the Illinois River. He was able to finance it immediately by selling lumber and honey, which were abundant in the region. On Main Street, next to the riverbank, Beard had a ferry and a hotel. Business was good. The town was platted in 1829, and by 1833, a pioneer wrote that people were living in tents because they could not build houses fast enough to meet the demand. Soon there were farms, orchards, flour mills, and a pork-packing plant. Most of the supplies for the inland farms and even Springfield came through the Beardstown waterfront. Beardstown has lost most of its industry, but it still has a pork-packing plant. The company hires a number of foreign employees, and when they retire, many choose to stay in Beardstown. It remains a safe, pleasant place to live.