Known by locals as the "City of Shade and Water", it is believed to be named in honor of Old Saybrook, Connecticut.

[1] The Sangamon River, at this point the size of a small creek, flows southeasterly through the southwest part of the village.

Before Polk, Jonathan Cheney came to the area in 1825 and built a cabin across the river from what is present-day Saybrook.

The township in which the town was situated took its name from the woodland and was called Cheney's Grove.

[9] One thing evident to the citizens of the fledgling town: it would only flourish if a railroad could be attracted.

It would be built to run due east from Bloomington to Paxton in neighboring Ford County and, because of this, would probably miss Saybrook by several miles.

To fund the railroad, local towns and townships would issue bonds, which the taxpayers would eventually retire.

[10] In November 1871, when the tracks reached the village limits of Saybrook, a great celebration was held.

[11] The new Christian church in Saybrook invited visitors from Bloomington to attend their first service and announced that there would be a special train "on our railroad".

[12] Once the railroad was established in 1870, Saybrook grew rapidly and soon became the largest grain shipping point in eastern McLean County.

In 1870, Thomas Holloway built the large brick Union House Hotel.

The racial makeup of the village was 98.82% White, 0.13% African American, 0.13% Asian, and 0.92% from two or more races.