Spring Valley is a city situated on the Illinois River in Bureau County. The population was 5,558 at the 2010 census. Spring Valley was founded in 1884 in the heart of the cola fields of Northern Illinois for the express purpose of mining of coal. The building of Spring Valley was the enterprise of Henry J. Miller, one of the first settlers of this area, and his son-in-law, Charles J. Devlin. They conceived the idea of establishing a coal metropolis. Spring Valley residents are avid outdoorsmen, enjoying boating, fishing, and hunting. Spring Valley’s largest employer is Wal-Mart Distribution Center # 6082, located on Illinois Rt. 89. The distribution center has over 800 employees from 100 different zip codes.
