Wenona is a city in Marshall and LaSalle counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 1,056 at the 2010 census, down from 1,065 in 2000.

The Marshall County share of Wenona is allowance of the Peoria Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the small portion that lies in LaSalle County is allocation of the Ottawa Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Around 1852, the first buildings had been erected within the town, including living address for the rail-men, the freight depot, and passenger station. This similar year, the home for Gr. W. Goodwell; Wenona’s Station Agent and First Postmaster, was completed. Along gone the Post Office, in June of 1854; the Presbyterian Church was set up. During the winter months of 1854, W.M Brown arrived to Wenona like a large stock of goods; A building was built to accommodate his sales. Wenona was laid off by the Illinois Central Railroad Company on May 15th, 1855. At the time, the town had more or less 9 buildings, and 50 unshakable citizens. By 1858 it had grown rapidly, and was now a thrifty village of several hundred inhabitants, with two hotels, a number of stores, and further branches of business in proportion.

A great amount of grain was annually shipped at this point, and a considerable amount of trade was carried on with the surrounding country. The largest single industry contributing to the layer and riches of Wenona was its coal mine, located in the northeast quarter of the town, east of the Illinois Central tracks. The mine was opened below the Hamilton-Hodge-Monser partnership and was incorporated November 9, 1882, as the Wenona Coal Co. The partnership was soon dissolved and ownership passed upon to E. L. Monser in the same way as Geo. S. Monser production overseer and W. E. Monser sales manager. The vein of coal varied from 3′ 6″ to 4.’ Peak employment numbered 550 miners and the average payroll approximated $30,000 per month, paid to employees in gold coin for a number of years, later cash at the mine and finally by checks at the bank. The mine operated from 1882 to 1924, at which time it was closed never to reopen. A new union scale was said to have made it unprofitable for the company to continue mining such a thin vein.