About us
American Pest Control, Inc. is a locally owned and operated company that works hard to maintain its reputation for honesty, dependability, and quality service. We have been in the pest control business for over seventy years and are active members of both the Illinois and National Pest Management Associations. We work throughout Illinois providing protection to homes and businesses from hazards posed by pest infestations. Service technicians from American Pest Control, Inc. are trained in all aspects of pest control. We also have training sessions for all employees each month so that each technician is kept up-to-date on the latest developments in baits, traps, monitors, and pesticides. We are committed to professionalism and quality service. American Pest Control, Inc. is licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health. In addition, our company is certified by “Quality Pro” which is the mark of excellence in pest management, and we have also been listed by PCT Magazine as one of the Top 100 pest control companies for fifteen+ years.
Our History
Our story begins in 1928, when Ira and Lael Haggerty married after meeting as school teachers in Glasford, Illinois. They eventually moved to Canton, Illinois where they raised their four children Phillip, Lael, Charles, and Jim on the family farm. Over the years Ira took up multiple different jobs to supplement the family income. As living off of the family farm was difficult in the 30s and 40s due to the Great Depression. Ira was fortunate to find many jobs throughout the years such as working in management positions for both R.G. LeTourneau Manufacturing and Caterpillar in Peoria, Illinois.
Eventually, Ira purchased farmland in Trivoli, Illinois where he moved his family in 1943. It was here that Ira started working for Arwell Pest Control. Here he developed a passion for solving pest problems and an understanding of the pest control industry. In April 1951, Ira began working under the name American Pest Control. Business was conducted in the family’s farmhouse and the barn served as a warehouse with a workshop for constructing bait stations. Lael was named President of the new endeavor, Ira was Secretary/Treasurer, and their son Phillip was named Director. Chuck and Jim, both teenagers, were hired as technicians.
By 1961, both Chuck and Jim were taking active roles in building up the family business and were named official business partners by Ira. A few years later it was clear that American Pest Control had started to outgrow the farmhouse and needed more warehouse space. The decision was made to purchase the Kimsey building which is positioned at our current location on Route 116 between Hanna City and Trivoli. For over 35 years the new location and larger space gave American Pest Control the room it needed to grow. The current office and warehouse space that is used by the business today was built in 2001.
While the locations and buildings might change, something that never changes is the importance of being a family owned and operated business. Over the 72-year history of American Pest Control, the business has been passed down from one generation to the next. Each new generation has worked hard to maintain the integrity and reputation that the company was built on. Ira would always say that service should be remembered long after price is forgotten. He instilled the importance of taking care of your customer and proving quality service. Currently both the third and fourth generation of the Haggerty family are working together to continue the family tradition of providing excellence in pest control to their customers.
