St. Mary's church in Lovington was closed on March 13, 1988. The need to have churches, schools and other facilities within a three to five mile radius has long since passed. A shortage of Catholic priests has caused more small churches to close. The school in Dalton City is closed, and the once thriving business district in Bethany is almost abandoned. Many families now drive about 15 miles to the larger city of Decatur to shop.
School districts have been combined, farms are much larger and farm families are much smaller.
Agriculture areas that once had twenty farms now have one large farming complex. The same area that had a population of over 150 in the 1890's, now has only two. The parishioners who had numbered over 500 in 1890, had dwindled to less than 50 in 1996. Farming remains an essential part of the communities. St. Isidore Church St. Isidore Cemetery Letter from Attorney William G. Patterson of Sullivan, IL to Edward Bresnan of Dalton City.