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Ottawa, Illinois

Ottawa is a city in and the county seat of LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. It is located at the confluence of the navigable Fox River and Illinois River, the latter being a conduit for river barges and connects Lake Michigan at Chicago, to the Mississippi River, and North America's 25,000 mile river system. The population estimate was 18,668, as of 2022. It is the principal city of the Ottawa, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History
Ottawa occupies a place on the Illinois River that has long been one end of a portage trail between the Mississippi River and Lake Michigan. Here the river was reliably deep enough for canoes. The North Portage Trail connected the site over land and water to the Chicago River.

Ottawa was the site of the first of the Lincoln–Douglas debates on August 21, 1858. During the Ottawa debate, Stephen A. Douglas, leader of the Democratic Party, openly accused Abraham Lincoln of forming a secret bipartisan group of Congressmen to bring about the abolition of slavery.

The John Hossack House was a "station" on the Underground Railroad, and Ottawa was a major stop because of its rail, road, and river transportation. Citizens in the city were active within the abolitionist movement. Ottawa was the site of a famous 1859 extrication of a runaway slave named Jim Gray from a courthouse by prominent civic leaders of the time. Three of the civic leaders, John Hossack, Dr. Joseph Stout and James Stout, later stood trial in Chicago for violating the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.

Ottawa was also important in the development of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, which terminates in LaSalle, Illinois, 12 miles to the west. In 1838, workmen from the canal project were causing public unrest. During a citizens' meeting, a local political leader, Washington Armstrong, suggested that farmer William Reddick be elected sheriff. Reddick was a popular choice due to his large stature and courageous manner. Reddick was elected by a large majority and held the office of sheriff for four consecutive two-year terms. In 1855, while serving in the Illinois State Senate, Reddick commissioned the construction of a large Italianate house for the then-large sum of $25,000 (~$ in ). Reddick Mansion is now one of the largest surviving homes in Illinois to predate the Civil War. In 1973, the mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places, as part of the Washington Park Historic District.

On February 8, 1910, William Dickson Boyce, then a resident of Ottawa, incorporated the Boy Scouts of America. Five years later, also in Ottawa, Boyce incorporated the Lone Scouts of America. Boyce is buried in Ottawa Avenue Cemetery. The Ottawa Scouting Museum, on Canal Street, opened to the public on December 6, 1997. The museum features the history of Boy Scouting, Girl Scouting and Camp Fire.

In 1922, the Radium Dial Company (RDC) moved from Peru, Illinois to a former high school building in Ottawa. The company employed hundreds of women, the 2017 book Radium Girls by Kate Moore reveal that one of these employees were only 11 years of age. These women painted watch dials using a paint called "LUMA", which contained a compound of Zns(Ag) (Silver activated Zinc Sulfide) and powdered Radium, for watch maker Westclox. RDC went out of business in 1936, two years after the company's president, Joseph Kelly Sr., left to start a competing company, Luminous Processes Inc., a few blocks away. The employees of the company suffered radiation toxicity, as chronicled in the 1986 documentary, Radium City.

Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Ottawa has a total area of 15.516 sqmi, of which 14.657 sqmi (or 94.46%) is land and 0.859 sqmi (or 5.54%) is water.

Industry
Because of numerous silica sand deposits (Ottawa sand was on board the ill-fated Columbia space shuttle for experimental purposes) Ottawa has been a major sand and glass center for more than 100 years. Transportation of the sand is facilitated by the navigable Illinois river and the Illinois Railway Ottawa Line. One of its largest employers is Pilkington Glass works, a successor to LOF (Libbey Owens Ford). Formerly concentrated in automotive glass, the plant now manufactures specialty glass and underwent a $50 million (~$ in ) renovation in 2006. Ottawa sand continues to be extracted from several quarries in the area, and is recognized in glass-making and abrasives for its uniform granularity and characteristics.

Sabic recently purchased GE Plastics, a successor to Borg Warner automotive glass manufacture, operates a large plastics facility in Ottawa, and is a major employer.

Ottawa sand is a standard testing medium in geotechnical engineering (laboratory demonstrations and research into new technologies).

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 18,840 people, 7,764 households, and 4,658 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,214.23 PD/sqmi. There were 9,014 housing units at an average density of 580.95 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 86.36% White, 2.45% African American, 0.44% Native American, 1.04% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.55% from other races, and 7.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.50% of the population.

There were 7,764 households, out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.70% were married couples living together, 15.38% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.01% were non-families. 34.31% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.95% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 2.36.

The city's age distribution consisted of 24.1% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $53,544, and the median income for a family was $64,128. Males had a median income of $39,677 versus $26,514 for females. The per capita income for the city was $28,365. About 13.5% of families and 16.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.9% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

Tourism
Ottawa has many historic homes and registered historic landmarks. Recent additions to Ottawa have included renovations to its historic mansion, the Reddick Mansion, and artistic murals throughout the central business district. Ottawa is known as the scenic gateway to Starved Rock State Park, the most popular state park in Illinois, with some 2 million visitors per year. The Fox River, which flows through communities like Elgin and Aurora, empties into the Illinois in downtown Ottawa. Ottawa is also home to one of the largest skydiving operations in the country, Skydive Chicago.

The Ottawa Historical and Scouting Heritage Museum honors Ottawa resident, William D. Boyce, founder of the Boy Scouts of America.

Jacob C. Zeller founded the Zeller Inn and Court Place Tavern in 1871, at 615 Columbus Street. The original Zeller Inn was demolished in 1982. The Zeller Inn tavern, originally known as the Court Place, still remains, now called Zeller Inn. The courtyard patio area on Columbus street is where the original Zeller Inn stood. The tavern contains the original mahogany bar built by the Sanders Bros in Ottawa, marble counters, tiled floors and walls, stained glass door and light fixtures. It also was known for its Gilded Age brilliance — tiled mahogany bar, carved gargoyles, pressed-tin ceiling and solid oak backbar. The mirror on the bar is the same since its establishment in 1871, which was brought over from the 1800s era European Worlds Fair. Zeller's initials, JCZ, are still visible in a tiled mosaic on the side of the bar and in the glass light domes that hang from the ceiling. This is one of the oldest taverns in Illinois, with original features which remain intact and displays the architectural details prominent in the late 1800s.

Media
Ottawa was served by two local newspapers. The older of the two, The Times, was formed in 2005, when the Streator-based Times-Press merged with The Daily Times, based in Ottawa. It is now an online newspaper. The second was a weekly newspaper called Ottawa Delivered, which closed in 2012. Ottawa is also served by the NewsTribune of La Salle, Illinois.

Ottawa also has two local radio stations, WCMY-AM at 1430 and WRKX-FM at 95.3.

Radium City documentary
In 1986, documentary film maker Carole Langer made a film that covered the plight of the so-called "Radium Girls" who worked in the watch dial industry. The young women, who had been told the paint was harmless, ingested deadly amounts of radium after being instructed to lick their paintbrushes to sharpen them; as a lark, some even painted their faces and fingernails with the glowing paint. Over time, many of the women developed anemia, bone fractures, sarcomas, and necrosis of the jaw, a condition now known as radium jaw. Many of these women died young.

The documentary interviews survivors from the industry who relate their experiences of the poisoning and the bureaucratic hurdles they met in seeking compensation and justice. Radium City outlines the aftermath of these events with a focus on the social and political consequences as well as the medical ones.

According to the film, after Radium Dial Company opened in 1918, workers began to get sick, and a lawsuit was brought against the company. With the looming lawsuit, Radium Dial closed in 1936, but then re-opened in 1937, under the name Luminous Processes in another part of town. Luminous Processes remained in operation until 1978.

The film shows the dismantling of the empty building where Luminous Processes was housed as well as the hot spots from where the Radium Dial Company was dismantled and buried throughout the city. After the plant closed and before it was dismantled, many residents took items from the factory for their homes. This spread the contamination even further. The building materials from the Luminuous Processes building were eventually turned into landfill. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began removing contaminated material in 1986. The work continues.

Areas still affected by radiation
Sixteen areas of Ottawa are still radioactive. The United States Department of Health and Human Services released a study, outlining areas where contamination by radium-226 (Ra-226), as well as emissions of radon-222 (Rn-222), are at or above normal levels. These areas include homes, public areas, schools, and even a car sales lot that is housed directly over the old Radium Dial Company site. A score of 28.5/100 or higher qualifies an area for the Superfund National Priority List, and Ottawa's hazardous ranking score is 50/100.

The radium in Ottawa's water supply occurs naturally in water from deep wells across northern Illinois. A reverse osmosis water treatment plant removes the radium so the city's tap water complies with federal regulations.

title: Ottawa, Illinois


text:
Peru, Illinois

Peru is a city in LaSalle and Bureau counties, Illinois, United States. The population was 9,896 at the 2020 census, down from 10,295 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Ottawa, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area. Peru and its twin city, LaSalle, make up the core of Illinois Valley.

History
The city's first settler was John Hays, who arrived in 1830. The city was organized as a borough in 1838, incorporated as a village February 25, 1845, and incorporated as a city on March 13, 1851. The original plat was between West Street, 4th Street, and East Street (now Pine Street).

River City (1831–1933)
Since the first steamboat Traveler reached Peru in 1831, the city had high hopes of being the western terminus for the Illinois & Michigan Canal. LaSalle won that designation, but Peru became a busy steamboat port at the head of navigation on the Illinois River. Captain McCormick was involved in the Five Day Line, making record fast trips between Peru and St. Louis, Missouri. Senator Gilson reported to land surveyor, Grenville Dodge, that the town would soon outstrip Chicago due to its favorable location along the river and railroads.

Water Street was a thin ribbon pressed between the bluff and the river, leading to the growth eastward of a large industrial district. Developed along the river and the canal, it was served by the Rock Island Railroad and Chicago Burlington and Quincy. These important transportation routes, along with coal mining in at least four mines lasting from 1857 until 1949, were the basis for Peru's rise to an industrial center. Many entrepreneurs grew into prominent businessmen and advanced the interests of Peru and the region. Prominent companies from that time included Maze Lumber, Maze Nails, Peru Plow and Wheel Works, Huse and Loomis Ice Co, Brunner Foundry, Star Union Brewery, Hebel Brewery, Illinois Zinc (Peru and LaSalle were sometimes referred to as "Zinc City") and many others. Peru's citizens were intent on improving their town, so far as constructing a plank road, northwest of town, a toll road meant to reach Dixon, Illinois.

Peru's story became a story of two levels. The story of Water Street and the bottoms, and the town growing above the bluff. Peru tried hard to link the two. For example, the Peru Horse and Dummy Railroad was driven to dissolution by the city's impossible mandate that it create a loop from Water Street to the upper bluff.

Clock City (1884–1980)

In 1884, Stahlberg started the United Clock Company in Peru. Shortly afterward, it went bankrupt and was reorganized with the help of Frederick William Matthiessen as the Western Clock Company. By 1905 it had grown into a national company, producing over 1 million alarm clocks per year. In 1909, they trademarked "Westclox". In 1917 they became a model for workers' benefits, one of the early companies to pay life insurance and have a safety committee. Later on, they limited the work week, constructed a company park with a tennis court and horseshoe courts, developed workers' housing, and established a school for watchmakers with provision for scholarships. In 1935 it was the safest company in the nation, with 11 million hours without a lost time accident.

During World War II the company made mechanical fuses for the government and had more than 600 of its employees enter the armed forces. At its height it manufactured nearly 2 million clocks and watches annually and employed over 4,000 persons. It closed the Peru factory in 1980; the loss of jobs caused a rapid decline in population in LaSalle and Peru.

Today the old Westclox Administration Building is now the headquarter for the Carus Corporation and the rest of the Westclox complex is being redeveloped into a commercial center. The building is also home to the Westclox Museum. The building caught fire on July 14, 2023.

Geography
As of 2021, Peru has a total area of 10.12 sqmi, of which 9.986 sqmi (or 98.68%) is land and 0.134 sqmi (or 1.32%) is water.

Located on the Illinois River, Peru lies 3 mi west of the intersection of two major interstate highways: Interstate 39 and Interstate 80. The city is also the western terminus of the historic Illinois and Michigan Canal. Before the Illinois Waterway was constructed, the Illinois River was navigable only up to Peru. Starved Rock State Park, a regional tourist attraction, is located 5 mi south-east of the community. Peru has a twin city on its eastern edge, LaSalle.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 9,896 people, 4,482 households, and 2,760 families residing in the city. The population density was 977.87 PD/sqmi. There were 4,825 housing units at an average density of 476.78 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 86.86% White, 1.31% African American, 0.21% Native American, 1.75% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.68% from other races, and 7.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.43% of the population.

There were 4,482 households, out of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.81% were married couples living together, 10.95% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.42% were non-families. 34.65% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 2.12.

The city's age distribution consisted of 19.5% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 21.1% from 25 to 44, 27.2% from 45 to 64, and 26.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $52,635, and the median income for a family was $73,477. Males had a median income of $50,645 versus $24,706 for females. The per capita income for the city was $34,268. About 6.3% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.9% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

There are a number of business districts in Peru. The largest is at the intersection of I-80 and IL-251. Then there are three smaller districts along the US-6 Corridor, including Peru's downtown. The largest employers in Peru are the Peru Mall, the Illinois Valley Community Hospital, Walmart, James Hardie, Officemax, the American Nickeloid, Liberty Village, Double D Express, Heritage Manor Nursing Home, Eakas, Target, and Horizon Industries.

Peru is the home of at least three very old companies. It is the national headquarters of American Nickeloid, started in 1898, and the W.H. Maze Co, dealing in lumber and nails, which started the year the Illinois and Michigan Canal opened in 1848. Maze Nails is one of America's last remaining nail makers. Peru is home to the offices of Carus Chemical Company, started in 1915, today one of the largest manufacturers of potassium permanganate in the world.

In 2021, the DuPage Pistol Shrimp baseball team relocated from Lisle, Illinois to Peru, becoming the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp. The Pistol Shrimp are a member of the collegiate Prospect League.

Education
Schools serving Peru include:

Elementary schools

 * Peru Public Schools
 * Peru Catholic School
 * LaSalle-Peru Christian School

High schools

 * LaSalle-Peru Township High School
 * St. Bede Academy
 * LaSalle-Peru Christian School

Transportation
The city operates Illinois Valley Regional Airport.

Notable people

 * John Virginius Bennes, architect
 * William P. Bettendorf and Joseph W. Bettendorf, industrialists
 * Zez Confrey, composer and pianist
 * Franklin Corwin, US congressman
 * Gary G. Dahl, politician
 * Grenville Dodge, Civil War general and transcontinental railroad constructor
 * Mike Goff, offensive lineman for the Kansas City Chiefs
 * Ken Gorgal, halfback for the Green Bay Packers
 * Charles F. Gunther, inventor of the caramel
 * J. A. Happ, baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals
 * Wilhelmina Kott, oldest person ever from Illinois; born in Peru
 * Donold Lourie, businessman, government official, and college football player
 * Thomas Lynch, pitcher for the 19th-century Chicago White Stockings; born in Peru
 * Russ Meyer, pitcher for six Major League Baseball teams
 * Esther Hobart Morris, first woman justice of the peace in United States; served in Wyoming
 * Maud Powell, born in Peru, violinist and recipient of a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
 * Thomas E. G. Ransom, Civil War general, lived in Peru
 * Howard C. Ryan, Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court
 * William Donald Scherzer, inventor of the Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridges
 * Joseph P. Stremlau, farmer and Illinois state legislator
 * Stuart Streuver, archaeologist and anthropologist
 * Frank Vlastnik, theater and television actor

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Peru, Illinois


text:
Ransom, Illinois

Ransom is a village in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 308 at the 2020 census, down from 384 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Ottawa Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is part of the subregion known as Streatorland.

History
Ransom was a planned community; ads were placed in the Streator Monitor as early as 1876 calling for shopkeepers, craftsmen, and tradesmen to locate and set up shop in the area. In 1885, the village of Ransom was officially incorporated. The earliest businesses in Ransom included a hotel, saloon, doctor, carpenter, pharmacist, grocery store, cash exchange and a blacksmith. On the edge of the newly developing business district a small wooden water tower was constructed. In 1892 a fire devastated the eastern side of the business district, stymieing the village's growth and causing some business owners to close up shop forever.

After the fire, and much back and forth, the village constructed a new public waterworks with a 68 feet water tower at its center in 1896. The village flourished after the fire, eventually reaching a population peak of around 600 following World War II. On September 7, 1903, the first phone service reached Ransom, and AT&T opened a telegraph office in 1905. Between 1905–1910 the village constructed a sidewalk system. The first electric street lamps appeared on May 7, 1910, with the acquisition of a dozen electric street lamps from Illinois Valley Gas and Electric. Electricity gradually made its way into the homes of Ransom following the introduction of the street lamps.

Namesake
The village was named for American Civil War general Thomas E. G. Ransom, who was born in Vermont but lived as a young man in Illinois.

Geography
Ransom is located in southeastern LaSalle County at the center of Allen Township. Illinois Route 170 runs along the eastern border of the village, leading north 13 mi to Seneca along the Illinois River, and south 20 mi to Pontiac.

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Ransom has a total area of 1.00 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 308 people, 156 households, and 99 families residing in the village. The population density was 308.31 PD/sqmi. There were 153 housing units at an average density of 153.15 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 90.58% White, 1.30% African American, 0.65% Asian, 0.65% from other races, and 6.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.84% of the population.

There were 156 households, out of which 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.46% were married couples living together, 15.38% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.54% were non-families. 27.56% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 2.28.

The village's age distribution consisted of 27.0% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 31% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.2 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $63,750, and the median income for a family was $75,313. Males had a median income of $56,250 versus $28,036 for females. The per capita income for the village was $30,877. About 22.2% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.0% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

title: Ransom, Illinois


text:
Rutland, Illinois

Rutland is a village in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the Ottawa Micropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 259, down from 318 at the 2010 census.

The village was named after Rutland, Vermont.

History
The village was founded as "New Rutland" in 1855 when approximately 200 members of the Vermont Emigration Association paid $10 each for a plot of land. The original location of the town-site was exclusively within LaSalle county. However, an additional ten blocks of land were added October 20, 1856, that was located primarily in adjacent Marshall County.

2021 Village Hall Fire
On the morning of October 15, 2021, a fire was reported across the street from the village's 100 block of Northwest Front Street. Fifteen fire departments responded, including Streator, along with multiple ambulances and law enforcement personal. The fire is currently being investaged as an arson attack.

Geography
Rutland is located in the southern panhandle of LaSalle County. The western border of the village is the LaSalle/Marshall County line. Approximately five blocks of developed land extend west into Marshall County, outside the village limits.

Illinois Route 251 follows the county line and the western border of the village. It leads north 5 mi to Wenona and south 7 mi to Minonk in Woodford County. Interstate 39 passes 0.5 mi of the village limits, but there is no direct access to Rutland. The nearest exits are 3 mi to the north and 5 mi to the south.

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Rutland has a total area of 0.69 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 259 people, 124 households, and 79 families residing in the village. The population density was 373.20 PD/sqmi. There were 132 housing units at an average density of 190.20 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 89.58% White, 3.09% African American, 1.54% from other races, and 5.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.18% of the population.

There were 124 households, out of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.97% were married couples living together, 9.68% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.29% were non-families. 36.29% of all households were made up of individuals, and 25.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 2.25.

The village's age distribution consisted of 30.1% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 20.1% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 22.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.7 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $43,750, and the median income for a family was $56,719. Males had a median income of $50,625 versus $9,938 for females. The per capita income for the village was $22,763. About 15.2% of families and 25.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.7% of those under age 18 and 1.6% of those age 65 or over.

title: Rutland, Illinois


text:
Sheridan, Illinois

Sheridan is a village in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, the village's population was 2,431, up from 2,137 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Ottawa Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Sheridan has a total area of 2.16 sqmi, of which 2.12 sqmi (or 98.29%) is land and 0.04 sqmi (or 1.71%) is water.

The village lies at a bend in the Fox River where Somonauk Creek enters the river, and the Lower Fox River Dells start. It is used as both a launching and retrieval point for canoes going down the river. Canoes generally start upstream in Yorkville, and they generally exit at Ayers Landing, near the community of Wedron. The area of the village, and Mission Township where it sits, is defined by the river's distinct westward flow, which goes west, then south, then east, then south, and finally winds west again. The unincorporated area of the village resides within the flood plain and valley north of the village, and is within Northville Township while the village itself sits far back from the river, upon a sandstone bluff, which has been mined for sand and gravel. The village's "Rod and Gun Club" actually sits within one of the old open-pit mines between the village and the northern bridge.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 2,431 people, 403 households, and 281 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,126.51 PD/sqmi. There were 330 housing units at an average density of 152.92 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 48.66% White, 40.72% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 7.57% from other races, and 2.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.08% of the population.

There were 403 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.36% were married couples living together, 8.68% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.27% were non-families. 25.31% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 2.49.

The village's age distribution consisted of 8.6% under the age of 18, 15.1% from 18 to 24, 50.5% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 2.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 477.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 693.3 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $70,925, and the median income for a family was $76,979. Males had a median income of $59,167 versus $23,750 for females. The per capita income for the village was $11,121. About 8.9% of families and 13.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.0% of those under age 18 and 19.0% of those age 65 or over.

The community is also currently the home to a medium-security prison for the State of Illinois.

The community is served by the Sheridan Community Fire Department and Sheridan Police Department. The school district that serves the area is CUSD #2, which serves the Communities of Serena, Sheridan, Harding, Norway, and Baker; Schools are only in Sheridan, Serena, and Harding, however, with the High School in Serena.

The mailing area of the community (the area with a Sheridan address) extends toward the communities of Newark, Millington, Norway, Serena, Somonauk, and Sandwich. Regarding to what reference is being consulted, the community of Norway and its environs are actually referred to as being Sheridan, or the nearby community of Serena.

Flooding
In 1996, a flood occurred after a heavy rain storm drenched the valley, from Aurora down to Dayton, resulting in the low-lying area of Sheridan to flood, and most notably, Sheridan's "Old Mill Inn" became a popular spot for people to canoe from the bridge which came from town, to the Old Mill during the flood. In February 1998, the river flooded again after a rain storm failed to drain into the frozen ground. In 2008, the remnants of Hurricane Ike flooded the valley yet again. During the April 17–18, 2013 rain event, which flooded many bodies of water in the Chicago metropolitan area, the river and Somonauk Creek flooded, with much of the water level considerably diminished after it crested later that weekend. The river valley both north and west of Sheridan is somewhat confined by sandstone bluffs on either side, which forces the river to rise, resulting in higher river levels. The village itself is largely untouched, as a half-mile gap between the main area of town and the valley, coupled with two abandoned gravel quarry pits sitting within the gap, protects the town. The village also sits approximately 30 feet above the river.

The Village of Sheridan, Incorporated 1872
The Village of Sheridan was settled as early as 1833 when Robert Rowe and his wife settled on Section 5 and 8 in what is now Mission Township. Prior to this, in 1826 Jesse Walker established a mission at the head of Mission Creek, just three miles from the present town of Sheridan. He became the first white settler in what is now Mission Township. In 1834, a Cholera Epidemic swept through the community, with a cemetery South of town near the present day prison as proof of this event. In 1844 Mission Point was established with the vote for a President and Vice-President. Mission Point became known as Rowes Station in 1863, the Rowe farm consisted of three houses. Finally, in the summer of 1869 the village was platted and named Sheridan after General Phillip Sheridan. On June 24, 1872, the town of Sheridan voted forty-five to one to incorporate under the Old Statute of the State of Illinois. On June 29 of that same year, the first election of the Board of Trustees was held. The following seal was adopted: "Town Seal, Sheridan, Illinois.  Incorporated, June 29, 1872". The township's first post office building actually resided on the property of a farm, located a mile east of town, off of E 2650th Road. The post office served the community until a Post Office was constructed in Sheridan, and the rest of the township was served either by the communities of Millington, Newark, Sheridan, Sandwich, or by rural routes.

As time progressed, the community grew, and the latter half of the 20th century saw expansive growth of local businesses, as there were a hardware store, two banks, a grocery store, two barber shops, two gas stations, three restaurants, and a tire center. However, over the subsequent years from 1995 to the present, many of the local businesses had either relocated or closed. Competition from nearby Ottawa, Sandwich, and Plano closed or diminished the ability to draw local residents to buying locally, resulting in local businesses having a hard time keeping business.

Norway, Illinois
The community of Norway sits to the south of Sheridan at the intersection of Illinois Route 71 and County Highway 3. Due to the community's status as an unincorporated community in the State of Illinois, the community does not have a local government, fire district, school district, or local policing or postal services. Most of the services are provided by Sheridan, while the school district, (CUSD #2) serves the area, and the Serena Fire Protection District covers the community and has a small station located in Norway. Postal addresses are designated in Norway as either being Sheridan or Serena, since both communities have postal service, and both communities are no more than six miles away.

Townships
The Village of Sheridan resides within two townships, Mission Township and Northville Township. The main area of town resides within Mission Township, while the periphery area of town extends to Northville Township in the north and west.

Education
The village is covered by Community Unit School District #2, which is based out of neighboring Serena. The school district was formed by the combination of Sheridan, Serena, and Harding Schools. Currently, Serena High School is the only high school in the district, while there are three elementary schools in the three communities of the district. Serena High School is in the Little Ten Conference of the IHSA Athletic Program. Sheridan had a high school until 1939, when Sheridan High School was closed to combine with Serena and Harding. Sheridan High School was a member of the Little Ten Conference between 1930 until the formation of District 2. Serena has been a member of the Conference since 1939.

Health systems
Sheridan is served by two hospitals, Valley West Community Hospital, (formerly Sandwich Community Hospital, or SCH), run by Northwestern Medicine's regional division, KishHealth, which is located in Sandwich, some six miles away, and also by OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center, (formerly Ottawa Regional and Community Hospital of Ottawa, or CHO), which is run by OSF Healthcare. There are higher-level trauma centers located in Aurora and Peoria.

Transportation
The Illinois Railway runs through the center of town. Sheridan is near a State Highway, and two US Highways. Two County Highways (C. R. 32 and C. R. 3) run through town, and another (C. R. 2) is a mile to the west of town.

 * [[Image:US 34.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 34 six miles to the north
 * [[Image:US 52.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 52 four miles away to the south
 * [[Image:Illinois 71.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 71 six miles away, both to the south and to the east

Notable people

 * Silas Johnson, pitcher with several MLB teams; last pitcher to strike out Babe Ruth; lived for 20 years in Sheridan, where he died
 * Ron Vandermeir Jr., racing driver, was born in Sheridan

title: Sheridan, Illinois


text:
Streator, Illinois

Streator is a city in LaSalle and Livingston counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city is situated on the Vermilion River approximately 81 mi southwest of Chicago in the prairie and farm land of north-central Illinois. As of the 2020 census, the population of Streator was 12,500.

History
Although settlements had occasionally existed in the area, they were not permanent. In 1824, surveyors for the Illinois and Michigan Canal which would extend from Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood to the Illinois River, a tributary of the Mississippi River, arrived in this area of the Vermillion River, followed by homesteaders by the 1830s. In 1861, miner John O'Neill established a trading post called "Hardscrabble" (ironically an early name for the Bridgeport neighborhood), supposedly because he watched loaded animals struggle up the river's banks. Another name for the new settlement was "Unionville".

Streator received its current name to honor Worthy S. Streator, an Ohio industrialist who financed the region's first coal mining operation. Streator received a town charter in 1868 and incorporated as a city in 1882. In 1882 Col. Ralph Plumb was elected as its first mayor. Streator's early growth was due to the coal mine, as well as a major glass manufacturer and its status as a midwestern railroad hub. Today Streator's economy is led by heavy-equipment manufacturer Vactor, food distributor U.S. Foodservice and glass bottle manufacturer Owens-Illinois.

The city is the hometown of Clyde Tombaugh, who in 1930 discovered the dwarf planet Pluto, the first object to be discovered in what would later be identified as the Kuiper belt; and George "Honey Boy" Evans, who wrote "In the Good Old Summer Time." Streator hosts annual events including Streator Park Fest; an Independence Day celebration, the Roamer Cruise Night and the Light Up Streator celebration. Streator is governed by a Manager–council style of government. It maintains police and fire departments as well as a public works system. Its current mayor is Terra Bedi.

Pre-settlement
Settlement in the region began with the Kaskaskia tribe of the Illiniwek Confederation. This Native American tribe's Grand Village was located on the north bank of the Illinois River in nearby Utica, Illinois. The Kaskaskia "were hunters and gatherers, farmers, warriors and traders." The Illiniwek were the last remnants of the Mississippian culture. French explorers Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet were the first Europeans to enter this region during a visit to the Grand Village in 1673. Marquette established a mission at the village in 1675. In 1679, French explorer Robert de LaSalle ordered a fortification to be built at the site that was later known as Starved Rock. Later that year Iroquois attacked the Kaskaskia village and the 8,000 villagers dispersed. The French and local tribes again fortified the village and created Fort St. Louis, but the Iroqouis continued to attack. The settlement was eventually abandoned by 1691.

In the years after the initial exploration, the French settled their newly claimed territory as La Louisiane. During much of the 18th century the region was sparsely populated by French, British and American fur traders. The French ceded control of the part of the La Louisiane territory east of the Mississippi River to the British at the end of the French and Indian War in 1763. Of this territory ceded by the French to Britain, the part extending down to the Ohio River was added to Britain's Quebec Province when the British Parliament passed the Quebec Act in 1774. During the American Revolutionary War (1775–83), this region that had been added to Quebec was claimed by Virginia in 1778, after a victory over the British by George Rogers Clark at Kaskaskia; Virginia named the region Illinois County.

After the war, the area was included in the territory ceded by Britain to the United States under the Treaty of Paris (1783); in 1784, Virginia ceded its claim over Illinois County to the Congress of the Confederation of the United States. This area, south of what remained of Britain's Quebec but north of the Ohio River, later became the Northwest Territory created by the Congress on July 13, 1787. From part of this Northwest Territory area, the Indiana Territory was formed by the United States Congress on July 4, 1800; from part of this Indiana Territory area, the Illinois Territory created by Congress on March 1, 1809; and from part of that Illinois Territory area, the state of Illinois was admitted to the union on December 3, 1818, by Congress.

The city of Chicago served as the main impetus of growth in the area throughout the early 19th century, and more importantly to the region around Streator was the development of the Illinois and Michigan Canal in 1821. This canal connected Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River, greatly increasing shipping traffic in the region. Land speculation in areas lining the canal and rivers ensued and towns sprouted quickly. Individual settlements in the Bruce Township region started as early as 1821. In 1861, John O'Neil established the first settlement in what was to become the city of Streator when he opened a small grocery and trading business.

Coal and cityhood
Streator began with coal. Vast beds of coal lie just beneath the surface throughout much of Illinois. The demand for coal was increasing in the mid-19th century, and East Coast capitalists were willing to invest in this region. The area was originally known as Hardscrabble, "because it was a hard scrabble to cross the Vermilion River and get up the hill to where the town was first located". The town was renamed Unionville in honor of the local men who fought for the Union during the Civil War.

In 1866 Worthy S. Streator, a prominent railroad promoter from Cleveland, Ohio, financed the region's first mining operation. Streator approached his nephew Col. Ralph Plumb at a railway station in December 1865 about overseeing a mining operation in central Illinois for him and several investors. Colonel Plumb agreed and arrived in the town then called Hardscrabble in February 1866. Success of the project required a rail line near the mines. Plumb and Streator "invited" Streator's friend, then Ohio Congressman James A. Garfield to sign on as an investor. In return, Garfield was expected to work with Robert C. Schenck, then the president of the American Central railroad, in getting the railroad to "bend their lines" to Streator. Eventually the plan did not work. The Vermilion Company then made arrangements with the Fox River line for their needed rail service.

Included in Col. Plumb's duties were overseeing the platting and incorporation of the quickly growing area. Plumb served as Streator's first mayor serving two terms. Plumb's mark on the early development of Streator was notable. The main hotel and the local opera house bore his name. He financed the construction of the city's first high school. Earlier in his life he served as an Ohio state representative and as an officer in the Union Army. Later in life he served Illinois as a representative in Congress.

Streator grew rapidly due to a number of factors: the need for coal in Chicago, the desire of European immigrants to come to America, and the investments made by East Coast capitalists willing to invest in coal operations. Plumb needed laborers for his mines, but the Vermilion Coal Company was unable to afford European employment agents. Instead, it alerted steamship offices of the new job opportunities and convinced local railroads to carry notices of Streator's promise. Land was sold to incoming miners at discounted prices as another enticement, but the company retained mineral rights to the land. In 1870, Streator's population was 1,486, but by 1880 its population tripled. Scottish, English, Welsh, German and Irish immigrants came to the area first, followed later by scores of mostly Slovaks; Czechs, Austrians and Hungarians came in lesser numbers. Today many of the residents are direct descendants of these original miners.

The success of the local mining operations and the introduction of the new glass making industry allowed for improvements in the living conditions and personal wealth of its miners and laborers. An 1884 survey by the Illinois Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that 20 percent of Streator's miners owned their houses. Labor movements like the Miners National Association and the United Mine Workers of America began to flourish, as did ethnic churches and social institutions such as the Masons and Knights of Pythias. In his 1877 History of LaSalle County, author H.F. Kett states: Perhaps no city...in Illinois, outside of the great city of Chicago, presents an instance of such rapid and substantial growth as the city of Streator. From a single small grocery house... the locality has grown to be a city of 6,000 prosperous and intelligent people. Churches, school-houses, large, substantial business houses and handsome residences, with elegant grounds and surroundings, now beautify the waste of ten years ago, while the hum of machinery and thronged streets are unmistakable evidences of business importance and prosperity.

In addition to coal, the area around Streator contained rich clay and shale, which gave rise to Streator's brick, tile and pipe industries. In time, these supplanted coal as Streator's leading exports, but Streator was best known for its glass bottle industry. In the early 20th century Streator held the title of "Glass Manufacturing Capital of the World." Streator continued to flourish for much of the early 20th century. Ultimately the demand for coal was replaced with the growing needs for gas and oil. Many of the underground mines in Streator closed during the 1920s. The last of the mines shut down in 1958. While other areas of LaSalle County continued to grow, Streator's population peaked at about 17,000 residents in 1960 and has since declined. Many of the original downtown buildings have been demolished, but few have been replaced. Another reason for static growth in Streator is its distance from any major Interstate Highway. When the federal highway system started in the 1950s and 1960s no interstate was built near the city. Streator is 23 mi from Interstate 55, 16 mi from Interstate 80 and Interstate 39.

2007 Comprehensive plan
Streator and the North Central Illinois Council of Governments (NCICG) finalized the Streator Comprehensive Plan in February 2007. The plan if approved is a roadmap for civic, transportation, housing, commercial and recreational improvements in the city through 2027.

Geography
As of 2021, Streator has a total area of 7.376 sqmi, of which 7.308 sqmi (or 99.1%) is land and 0.068 sqmi (or 0.9%) is water.

Topography and geology
Streator lies within the Vermilion River/Illinois River Basin Assessment Area (VRAA) defined by the watershed of the Vermilion River, a major tributary to the Illinois River in Central Illinois, an area of mostly flat prairie. The topography of the basin is a complex collection of buried valleys, lowlands and uplands carved by repeated episodes of continental glaciation.

Underneath the topsoil, the region's bedrock contains vast amounts of coal. About 68% of Illinois has coal-bearing strata of the Pennsylvanian geologic period. According to the Illinois State Geological Survey, 211 billion tons of bituminous coal are estimated to lie under the surface, having a total heating value greater than the estimated oil deposits in the Arabian Peninsula. However, this coal has a high sulfur content, which causes acid rain.

Streator's coal mining history closely parallels Illinois', with a great push in coal production from 1866 until the 1920s, when many of the mines closed. The low-sulfur coal of the Powder River Basin of Wyoming and the growing demands for oil caused a decline in demand for Streator's high-sulfur coal.

The St. Peter Sandstone is an Ordovician formation in the Chazyan stage of the Champlainian series. This layer runs east–west from Illinois to South Dakota. The stone consists of 99.44% quartz or silicon dioxide (SiO2), which is used for the manufacture of glass. Its purity is especially important to glassmakers. Streator, which lies within outcrop area of the St. Peter sandstone formation, has mined this mineral since the late 19th century for use in its glass manufacturing industries.

Climate
Streator has a continental climate, influenced by the Great Lakes. Its average winter temperature is 25.0 F and its average summer temperature is 75.0 F. Streator has an average annual rainfall of 34.68 in, with an annual snowfall of 22.0 in (55.88 cm). The highest temperature recorded in Streator was 112 F in July 1936. The lowest temperature recorded was −25 F in January 1985.

1903 tornado
An F3 tornado hit the west side of Streator on July 17, 1903, killing six people and injuring 30. Five people died when the grandstand of a racetrack, where they had taken shelter, collapsed.

1951 flood
The worst flood in Streator's history occurred in 1951. The Vermilion River reached a flood level of 18 ft.

2010 tornado
At approximately 8:50 pm (CST) on June 5, 2010, an EF2 tornado swept through southern Streator. The tornado initially touched down east of Magnolia, causing EF0 and EF1 damage as it traveled east. EF2 damage began as the tornado passed East 15th Road. No fatalities were reported, but there were reports of leveled houses and extensive damage throughout the area. The National Weather Service reported that there were two tornadoes. The second was reported to have touched down one mile west of Streator, with a base of 50 feet.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 12,500 people, 5,762 households, and 2,949 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,694.69 PD/sqmi. There were 6,009 housing units at an average density of 814.67 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 80.94% White, 3.50% African American, 0.53% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 5.81% from other races, and 8.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.58% of the population.

There were 5,762 households, out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.74% were married couples living together, 12.55% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.82% were non-families. 43.21% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.09% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 2.10.

The city's age distribution consisted of 20.0% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,778, and the median income for a family was $59,266. Males had a median income of $44,976 versus $21,567 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,818. About 17.9% of families and 21.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.0% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.

Streator is a principal city of the Ottawa Micropolitan Statistical Area, which was the tenth-most populous Micropolitan Statistical Area in the United States as of 2009. The small Livingston County portion of Streator is part of the Pontiac Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Historically, the population of LaSalle County has increased 75% between 1870 and 1990, while the statewide population has grown 350%.

Economy
Streator's economic history has been tied with its natural resources. Coal was the initial catalyst of the city's economy from 1866 until the late 1920s. As the community matured, silica deposits provided the resource for Streator's next industry leader: glass-container manufacturing. While the coal industry eventually died, glass manufacturing remains a presence in Streator. Agriculture and related agri-business in the farmlands of LaSalle County and nearby Livingston County are also a strong influence in Streator's economic engine. Though manufacturing provides the greatest share of earnings, the service industry now accounts for the largest share of jobs.

Coal
Coal production in LaSalle County and Illinois peaked in the 1910s. Wyoming's Powder River Basin coal reserves, which contain a much lower sulphur content, were discovered in 1889, with full scale mining beginning in the 1920s.

Glass manufacturing
Glassmaking and, more specifically, glass blowing was a highly skilled craft. Most of America's glassblowers came from Europe, or were trained there. Many of Streator's immigrant coal miners were trained in glass blowing. High-grade silica, the main ingredient in glass was in abundance in the Streator region and nearby Ottawa. The combination of silica, coal to fire the furnaces and skilled craftsmen were a perfect match for Streator's second major industry which began in 1887 with the Streator Bottle and Glass Company. Other companies like Thatcher Glass Manufacturing Corp (later Anchor Glass Containers) which began manufacturing milk bottles in 1909, the American Bottle Company in 1905, the Streator Cathedral Glass Company in 1890, Owens-Illinois and others soon followed. Through the 20th century Streator was known as the "Glass Container Capital of the World."

Major employers
Three of Streator's largest companies are some of its longest-lasting companies. Vactor Manufacturing began in 1911 as the Myers-Sherman Company, manufacturing milking machines and conveyors for the agricultural industry. In the 1960s Myers-Sherman patented a sewer cleaning vehicle for the municipal public works market. The company was renamed Vactor when it became a subsidiary of the Federal Signal Corporation They are the world's leading producer of heavy-duty sewer cleaning equipment. They are the second-largest employer in Streator with 530 employees.

Owens-Illinois' Streator plant produces Duraglas XL bottles; a lightweight, stronger beer bottle for the Miller Brewing Company. Owens Bottle Company opened in Streator in 1916. Production peaked in the 1960s with 3,500 employees working in its 68 acre facility. Today it is Streator's fifth-largest employer, with 210 employees. In 2006, the plant was honored by the Miller Brewing Company for producing 650 million bottles for the brewer.

St. Mary's Hospital is the city's largest employer with 550 employees. In late 2015, OSF Healthcare system purchased the hospital from HSHS Medical Group. It is undetermined what OSF Healthcare will do with the hospital. Founded in 1886 by the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, this 251-bed hospital serves Streator and its outlying areas.

Streator was briefly home to the Erie Motor Carriage Company (which became Barley Motor Car Co.). Current products of Streator include building and paving brick, milk, soda bottles, auto parts, sewer pipe, clothing, drain tile, auto truck dump bodies, and hydraulic hoists. Its major agricultural crops include corn and soybeans.

Arts, culture and media
Streator's parks and events reflect its heritage and prairie locale. A number of its residents have distinguished themselves in the art world.

Arts
The Community Players of Streator offer summer stock theatre performances each year at the William C. Schiffbauer Center for the Performing Arts at Engle Lane Theatre.

The Majestic Theatre, an art deco style movie house, originally opened in 1907 as a vaudeville house. It has gone through many changes, openings, and closings throughout its history, having most recently reopened in 2002. The Majestic shows recently released movies as well as hosting live musical acts. This has since closed due to deterioration.

The Walldogs painted 17 murals in the summer of 2018. The downtown now is home to more than 20 murals.

Museums and historical buildings

The Streatorland Historical Society Museum houses displays of Streator history and memorabilia of some of its famous citizens. One of the displays is a tribute to the Free Canteen. The Canteen was a group of local volunteers who served over 1.5 million soldiers during World War II who briefly stopped at the city's old Santa Fe Train Depot while traveling by troop trains. Other features include a homemade telescope used by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh and a Burlington Northern caboose rail car.

During World War II the Streator Santa Fe Train Depot was a busy way-station for millions of soldiers and sailors who passed through the town on the way to or from training for the war. Beginning in 1943, the Streator Parents Service Club, a group of parents of veterans of the war, created the Streator Free Canteen. The volunteers handed out sandwiches and coffee and presented a friendly face to the servicemen during their stopover in Streator. During the 2½ years that the canteen operated, volunteers hosted over 1.5 million servicemen and women. Thirty other service groups from Streator joined to assist the Parents Service Club as well as 43 other organizations throughout the central-Illinois region. On Veterans Day, November 10, 2006, a bronze statue commemorating the "Coffee Pot Ladies" of Streator was dedicated at the Santa Fe Railroad Station.

The Streator Public Library was made possible with a $35,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie. With its two-story high domed ceiling, Ionic columns and oak staircases, it was considered too extravagant by critics when it opened in 1903. The Library was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. The Ruffin Drew Fletcher House located on East Broadway Street is an example of Stick style architecture. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in August 1991. The Silas Williams House is a Queen Anne style home built-in 1893. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in June 1976. Founded in 1883, St. Stephens Catholic Church was the first Slovak Catholic church in the United States. In September 2010, the four Roman Catholic churches in Streator were consolidated into one new parish named St. Michael the Archangel. Currently all masses are conducted at St. Stephen's Church and discussions are continuing to decide if a new church will be built or if one of the existing churches will be rebuilt.

Among Streator's other notable buildings are the ornate Bauhaus-inspired National Guard Armory near the Vermilion River and the town's turn-of-the-20th-century City Hall on Park Street (now a business). These facilities are accessible to the public, with some limitations. Streator is also home to many private residences of significant historical interest and value, including the Kennedy Home on Pleasant Avenue.

Events
The Streator Food Truck Festival is held annually in May.

Park Fest is held during the Memorial Day weekend through Sunday. Park Fest activities are held in City Park (the main public park in the downtown Streator area).

A Memorial Day observance is held on the morning of Memorial Day at the Veterans Plaza at the southeast part of City Park.

Streator is a designated stop each year in the annual "Heritage Tractor Adventure" along the Illinois and Michigan Canal. This three-day tractor ride/rally attracts hundreds of antique tractor owners.

The annual Fourth of July celebration runs for over four days with events throughout the city, with most of the events held in City Park; the park-based events include a carnival, 5K run and a talent contest. Other Fourth of July events include the annual parade which runs through downtown and the fireworks display which is held at Streator High School.

"Roamer Cruise Night" is an annual cruise / car show held on Labor Day weekend in the downtown district that attracts over 600 cars and 18,000 attendees. Special features of the Cruise Night include a display of a Roamer which was built at a factory in Streator in 1917. Cruise Night was rained out in 2011 and 2012, leaving Streatorites hungry for 2013.

A Veterans Day observance is held on the morning of Veterans Day at Veterans Plaza.

Streator also has an annual event called Light Up Streator held the first Saturday after Thanksgiving. Light Up Streator is a group of volunteers who place holiday decorations throughout the Streator area, most notably in City Park.

The Keeping Christmas Close to Home Parade of Lights is held the weekend after Thanksgiving in downtown Streator.

Media
Streator has one daily newspaper, The Times. The daily paper, published by the Small Newspaper Group Inc., in nearby Ottawa, provides the local news for the Ottawa, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area. Streator's original daily, The Times-Press News merged with the Ottawa Daily Times in 2005. Television broadcasts are provided by stations in nearby Bloomington and Peoria. Local cable providers also air Chicago stations. Streator has three local radio stations: WSPL 1250 AM, which has a news/talk format, WSTQ 97.7 FM, which has a contemporary pop format and WYYS 106.1 FM, which broadcasts a classic hits format. The three stations are owned by the Mendota Broadcast Group, Inc. One of the longest-running programs on WSPL was "Polka Party", which was broadcast live on Saturday mornings for more than thirty years until its host Edward Nowotarski retired in 2001.

Parks and recreation
The city of Streator maintains eight local parks and one public golf course.

Spring Lake Park is a 37.2 acre city-owned park 1.8 mi west of the Streator city limits (and 1.3 mi north of Illinois Route 18). The park has two creeks, waterfalls and six trails. It offers hiking, horseback riding and picnicking. In September 2008, Spring Lake Park received the Governor's Hometown Award from the state of Illinois in recognition of its volunteer-led restoration project.

City Park is the main park in Streator's downtown area; a section of Streator City Park called Veterans Plaza contains memorials bearing the names of citizens who gave their lives for their country in the Civil War and in later wars. The park is also home to the Reuben G. Soderstrom Plaza, a monument dedicated to former Illinois AFL-CIO President and Streator native Reuben Soderstrom. City Park is the site of annual events including Streator Park Fest (successor to Heritage Days), held on Memorial Day weekend; the Roamer Cruise Night, held on Labor Day weekend; and the annual Light Up Streator celebration and display held each November. Patriotic observances use the park's Veterans Plaza on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. The park is also the site of other events, including concerts. In 2012 construction began, in the southwest quadrant of City Park, on a new venue suitable for concerts; it was later announced that this would be called Plumb Pavilion (in honor of Streator's first mayor, Ralph Plumb).

Marilla Park, located at the northeast end of Streator, is among Streator's larger parks, and includes picnic areas and a playground area. In 2012, a Disc Golf Course was added to Marilla Park.

Other city parks in Streator include Oakland Park, Central Park, Bodznick Park, Merriner Park, and Southside Athletic Park.

Local sports
Organized local sports activities include the Youth football league, American Youth Soccer Organization, Little League Baseball, and American Legion Baseball. The Streator High School "Bulldogs" and Woodland High School "Warriors" participate in the Interstate Eight Conference and the Tri-County Conferences, respectively, which are part of the Illinois High School Association. Local golf is played at the city-owned Anderson Field Municipal Golf Course and The Eastwood Golf Course

The Streator Zips won the Illinois State Championship for Mickey Mantle baseball in both 2003 and 2004.

Streator was represented in the Illinois–Missouri League, an American minor league baseball league, from 1912 through 1914. The Streator Speedboys had a record of 45–65 and finished last in 1912. In 1913, The Streator Boosters were in fourth place with a 30–57 record, and in 1914 the Boosters had a record of 40–48, again finishing in fourth place. The Streator Boosters competed in the Bi-State League in 1915. When the league disbanded in the middle of the season, the Streator Boosters were in first place with a record of 30 wins and 18 losses.

In 2008, the Streator Reds, an age 16-and-under team, won the Senior League Illinois State Tournament defeating the team from Burbank, Illinois. The Reds then qualified for the Senior League Regional Tournament in Columbia, Missouri, where they were eliminated in the first round with a 2–2 record.

Three local residents have had notable success in professional sports. Doug Dieken played 14 seasons for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League from 1971 to 1984. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1980, and named a "Cleveland Brown Legend" by the team in 2006. He serves as a color commentator on Browns radio broadcasts. Bob Tattersall (1924–1971) was known as the "King of Midget Car Racing" in the 1950s and 1960s in both the US and Australia. Tattersall had a long list of victories, including the 1960, 1962, 1966 and 1969 Australian Speedcar Grand Prix (Midgets are known as Speedcars in Australia), while his crowning achievement was when he won the 1969 USAC National Midget Series. He died of cancer at his home in Streator in 1971. Also, in 2009, Clay Zavada, made his professional debut as a relief pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Other local residents who have enjoyed careers in Major League Baseball include Andy Bednar (pitcher, Pittsburgh Pirates), Rube Novotney (catcher, Chicago Cubs) and Adam Shabala (outfielder, San Francisco Giants).

The Streator 10-year-old All-Stars took home the city's first Little League State Baseball Championship in 2002 versus Chicago(Ridge Beverly). After winning district and sectional championships, the state tournament finals was held in Utica, Illinois. The 12-year-old team from Streator competed in the World Series in 2012.

Outdoor recreation
Outdoor recreation activities in the Streator area primarily center around the Vermilion River, Spring Lake Park (Located on the west side of the city) and nearby state parks. Fishing, kayaking and canoeing are popular activities along the Vermilion River. Matthiessen State Park and Starved Rock State Park offer hiking, hunting, camping and other amenities in their geologically diverse areas.

Law and government
The city operates under a City Manager form of government. Elected officials include its mayor, Tara Bedei (Pro Tem) and the four members of the city council; Brian Crouch, Jacob Darby, Tim Geary, and Matt McMullen, who meet monthly.

The Streator Police Department is headquartered in City Hall. The first chief of police was Martin Malloy (1840–1911). Led by Chief of Police, Robert Turner Jr., the current department has a staff of 19 patrol officers, 1 school resource officer, 3 investigators, and 1 administrative assistant who all oversee the city's law enforcement operations. 911 Center has since been consolidated with Livingston County Dispatch.

The Streator Fire Department is headed by Chief Garry Bird and serviced by a staff of fifteen firefighters. Firefighters work a traditional 24 on/48 off schedule.

Streator's Public Works Department oversees the maintenance and operation of the city's public infrastructure including roadways, sanitation, parks and fleet.

The unincorporated portions of South Streator are served by the Livingston County Sheriff's Office in Pontiac. The unincorporated portions of Otter Creek and Eagle Townships in LaSalle County are served by LaSalle County Sheriff's Office in Ottawa. Fire protection services for unincorporated portions of Streator are provided by Reading Township Fire Department in the south, east and west. Grand Ridge Fire Department covers fire services for the northern unincorporated areas.

Streator is located entirely within Illinois's 16th congressional district, currently represented by Congressman Darin LaHood (R-Peoria). After the 2021 decenial reapportionment for the Illinois General Assembly, Streator is located in the 53rd Legislative District, 105th Representative District, and 106th Representative District. As of September 15, 2023, these are represented in the by Senator Tom Bennett (R-Gibson City), Representative Dennis Tipsword (R-Metamora), and Representative Jason Bunting (R-Emington), respectively.

Education
Streator is served by three school districts. Streator Elementary School District serves two elementary schools; Centennial Elementary School and Kimes Elementary School; and one junior high school; Northlawn Junior High School. Streator Township High School District serves just one school, Streator Township High School. The Woodland Community Unit School District #5 which serves the Livingston County portion of Streator, serves one high school, Woodland High School, and one combination elementary/junior high school, Junior High and Elementary School. Streator has one parochial elementary school, St. Anthony's Catholic School, now known as St. Michael the Archangel. Nearby Illinois Valley Community College is located in Oglesby, Illinois. The Carnegie Foundation funded the Streator Public Library, which opened in 1903. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

Transportation
Streator is served by Illinois State Routes 23 and 18, which intersect in downtown. Streator is isolated in that it is located at least a 15-minute drive from the nearest US interstate highway. Rail service is provided by Norfolk Southern Railway, BNSF Railway and the Illinois Railway. The city of Streator does not provide a mass transit system. Amtrak and AT&SF previously served Streator at Streator Station.

Notable people

 * Burt Baskin, who co-established the Baskin-Robbins chain of ice cream parlors with Irv Robbins, was born in Streator in 1913.
 * Kevin Chalfant, lead singer of The Storm and former live performance member of Journey.
 * Mary Lee Robb Cline, actress, known as Marjorie in the radio program The Great Gildersleeve
 * Phillipe Cunningham, Minneapolis City Council Member, one of the first openly transgender men to be elected to public office in the United States. He was born in Streator and lived there until the age of 18.
 * "Mad Sam" DeStefano, infamous Chicago Outfit gangster, was born in Streator
 * Doug Dieken, an offensive tackle who played 14 seasons in the National Football League with the Cleveland Browns, was born in Streator in 1949
 * Doriot Anthony Dwyer, flutist, born in Streator (1922), first woman named Principal Chair of a major US Orchestra (Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1952)
 * Thurlow Essington (1886–1964), Illinois state senator, lawyer and mayor of Streator; was born in Streator
 * George "Honey Boy" Evans, songwriter (In the Good Old Summer Time)
 * Fred J. Hart (1908-1983), Illinois state legislator and businessman
 * Edward Hugh Hebern, was an early inventor of rotor machines, devices for encryption
 * Dick Jamieson, pro football coach, was born in Streator
 * William Jungers, chairman of Department of Anatomical Sciences and professor in Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences at Stony Brook University Medical Center.
 * John L. Keeley Sr., Chicago surgeon and personal physician to two Chicago cardinals.
 * Patrick Lucey, Illinois Attorney General, Mayor of Streator, was born in Streator
 * Clarence E. Mulford, author (Hopalong Cassidy)
 * Ed Plumb, musical director for Disney's Fantasia and score composer for Bambi, multiple Academy Award nominee
 * Levancia Holcomb Plumb, president and chief stockholder of the Union National Bank of Streator, Illinois
 * Ralph Plumb, first mayor of Streator (1882–1885), and a U.S. Representative from Illinois (1885–1889)
 * Ken Sears, catcher for the New York Yankees and St. Louis Browns; born in Streator
 * Adam Shabala, outfielder for the San Francisco Giants
 * Reuben G. Soderstrom, President of the Illinois State Federation of Labor and Illinois AFL-CIO from 1930 to 1970. He moved to Streator in 1901 and resided in the city until his death in 1970.
 * Clyde Tombaugh, astronomer, discovered Pluto in 1930. He was born in Streator in 1906 and lived there until his family moved to Burdett, Kansas, in 1922.
 * Charles Turzak, artist
 * Clay Zavada, pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals and Arizona Diamondbacks

title: Streator, Illinois


text:
Tonica, Illinois

Tonica is a village in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 749 at the 2020 census, down from 768 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Ottawa Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History
Tonica was originally a small hamlet called Point Republic. The village was founded by Andrew West, the local agent for the Illinois Central Railroad. The tracks arrived May 23, 1853. Tonica was first incorporated on April 3, 1859, then reincorporated on August 16, 1873. The incorporation was certified on October 16, 1901.

Tonica derives its name from the Tunica people that West learned about while growing up in New York State. West likewise named many of the streets in the town after Native American tribes and people.

Geography
Tonica is located in western LaSalle County and Illinois Route 251 passes through the center of the village, leading north 9 mi to Peru and south 12 mi to Wenona. Interstate 39 passes through the west side of the village, with access from Exit 48 (N 20th Road). I-39 leads north 10 mi to Interstate 80 in LaSalle and south 48 mi to Interstate 55 at Normal.

According to the 2020 census, Tonica has a total area of 1.36 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2020, there were 749 people, 328 households, and 207 families residing in the village. The population density was 550.7 PD/sqmi. There were 331 housing units at an average density of 243.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 86.78% White, 0.13% Native American, 0.53% Asian,4.94% from other races, and 0.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.48% of the population.

There were 328 households, out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 20.8% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.3 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $52,206, and the median income for a family was $71,750. Males had a median income of $39,265 versus $32,500 for females. The per capita income for the village was $27,672. About 9.7% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.0% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The village has its own grade school, Tonica Grade School (K-8).

Notable people

 * Arthur R. Hall, former University of Illinois football player and head coach

title: Tonica, Illinois


text:
Troy Grove, Illinois

Troy Grove is a village in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 225 at the 2020 census, down from 250 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Ottawa, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Troy Grove is notable as the birthplace of Wild Bill Hickok and Kate Austin. It is home to the Wild Bill Hickok Memorial. The town also has another connection to the Wild West, as the last reported wild bison killed in Illinois happened near the town in 1837.

Silica sand, a fine white sand used in making glass, is mined in the vicinity of Troy Grove.

History
Originally laid out as Homer, Illinois, the village was named by an early settler who emigrated from Homer, New York. As the town of Homer, Illinois already had a Post Office, the community took its name from a nearby grove, which was named for an early settler. A Post Office has been in operation under the name of Troy Grove since 1837. In the early 1830s a sawmill was built which facilitated the construction of a new schoolhouse in 1837. The village grew for several years and was home to several shops and businesses. The first store to open was owned by William Alonzo Hickok, father of Wild Bill Hickok. One of the first Presbyterian churches in the county was founded here in 1849 with a congregation of just 8 members. A gristmill was constructed in 1861

The village was previously served by the Northern Illinois Railroad and the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. Passenger service was ended in the early 1950s. The railroad is today owned and operated by Union Pacific to haul raw material from the active silica mines.

Geography
Troy Grove is located in northwestern LaSalle County. U.S. Route 52 passes through the north side of the village as North 37th Road; it leads northwest 8 mi to Mendota and east 54 mi to Joliet. Interstate 39 passes 1.5 mi east of the village, with access from Exit 66 (US 52). I-39 leads north 62 mi to Rockford and south 7 mi to Interstate 80 at LaSalle.

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Troy Grove has a total area of 0.69 sqmi, all land. The Little Vermilion River, a south-flowing tributary of the Illinois River, passes through the southeast corner of the village.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 225 people, 80 households, and 55 families residing in the village. The population density was 327.51 PD/sqmi. There were 106 housing units at an average density of 154.29 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 97.78% White, 1.33% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.89% of the population.

There were 80 households, out of which 46.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.50% were married couples living together, 11.25% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.25% were non-families. 22.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.05 and the average family size was 2.63.

The village's age distribution consisted of 28.6% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 31.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $73,333, and the median income for a family was $83,438. Males had a median income of $61,250 versus $30,000 for females. The per capita income for the village was $34,519. About 10.9% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 15.8% of those age 65 or over.

title: Troy Grove, Illinois


text:
Antioch, Illinois

Antioch is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,622. The village is nestled into the Chain O'Lakes waterway system and borders the state of Wisconsin. Part of the Chicago metropolitan area, Antioch is located approximately halfway between the major cities of Chicago (60 miles south) and Milwaukee (50 miles north).

Native American history
The Pottawatomi Tribe historically inhabited in the area of present-day Antioch prior to European settlement. The tribe was pushed to the west by European/American encroachment in the 1830s although remnants can still be found today.

European settlement
The first permanent European settlements in the region were along the creek, named as "Sequoit" which means "winding". Darius and Thomas Gage brothers built the first cabin. After building a sawmill by Hiram Buttrick on Sequoit Creek, a tributary of the Fox River, the region became a center of commerce. In 1843, new settlers gave a biblical name "Antioch" to the region and started a school. The town grew as new settlers, primarily of English and German descent, established farms and businesses. In 1976, a replica of Buttrick's mill was built a few hundred feet downstream from where it once stood. Today, many local businesses and organizations as well as Antioch Community High School use the name "Sequoit".

Partly due to being a regional center of the abolitionist movement, Antioch is noted as having sent a disproportionately high number of its young men to the Union Army. By the late 1800s, Antioch became a popular vacation spot for Chicagoans and tourism grew quickly once the rail line to Chicago was laid in 1886. Fire destroyed much of downtown in 1891, 1903, and 1904. During Prohibition, Al Capone owned a summer home on nearby Bluff Lake. Following World War II, Antioch continued to see a steady population and economic increase, and an industrial park was created in the 1970s.

Today, Antioch serves as a bedroom community within the Chicago metropolitan and Milwaukee metropolitan area.

Geography
Antioch is approximately halfway between Chicago and Milwaukee at 42.47917°N, -88.09083°W (42.479069, -88.090878).

According to the 2010 census, Antioch has an area of 8.595 sqmi, of which 8.21 sqmi (or 95.52%) is land and 0.385 sqmi (or 4.48%) water.

The village lies in a gently rolling moraine landscape, dominated by lakes of glacial origin. Among these are the Antioch Lake, south of the village center, Lake Marie, west of the village center and the Redwing Slough Lake, east of the village center. There are several smaller lakes and ponds, and a complement of wetlands.

Climate
Like Chicago, Antioch lies in a humid continental climate zone and experiences four distinct seasons. Antioch receives an average of 36.74 in of precipitation each year.

2010 Census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 14,430 people living in the village. The racial makeup of the village was 88.79% White, 3.08% Black or African American, 3.73% Asian, 0.17% Native American, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 2.04% of some other race and 2.09% of two or more races. 8.53% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,788 people, 3,235 households, and 2,351 families living in the village. The population density was 1,190.4 PD/sqmi. There were 3,346 housing units at an average density of 453.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 95.19% White, 1.07% African American, 0.35% Native American, 1.16% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.08% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.42% of the population.

There were 3,235 households, out of which 41.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% were non-families. 22.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 29.9% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $56,481, and the median income for a family was $66,589. Males had a median income of $51,503 versus $31,389 for females. The per capita income for the village was $25,711. About 2.3% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Since 1996, Metra's North Central Service has played an increasingly important role in Antioch's development. Weekday train service to and from Chicago has given rise to new commercial development near the train depot. The village continues to undergo commercial and residential growth, mostly along the Illinois Route 173 corridor.

Antioch is home to the Pickard China factory which makes fine china for Air Force One, Camp David, and others.

Downtown Antioch is home to locally owned clothing boutiques, eateries, bars, gift and décor shops, and specialty shops. It also hosts concerts in a bandshell, craft fairs, parades, festivals, art walks, and gardening tours.

Arts and culture
Antioch has been home to the Palette, Masque and Lyre, Inc. (PM&L) Performing Arts theatre since 1960. In addition, the Antioch Fine Arts Foundation (AFAF) has operated in the area since 2001.

Library
The Antioch Public Library contains 135,716 volumes and circulates 371,105 items per year.

The Antioch Public Library began as an Antioch Women's Club project in 1921. Initially the Women's Club raised funds for the establishment of a village library and the residents donated books for the library. This first village library was located at 934 Main Street and was open only two days a week. In 1922 the library was moved to the Antioch Village Hall at 875 Main Street. In 1930 the library was moved again to the corner of Main Street and Depot Street. In 1941, the Library was moved again to 883 Main Street. In 1950 William Schroeder family donated the property located at 757 Main Street to the Village of Antioch for use as a library. The new library building was officially opened in 1970. In August 2001 construction began of an 18,000-square-foot addition to the Antioch Public Library facility. The construction was completed in January 2003.

Recreation
The Chain O'Lakes found along the Fox River, serves as an aquatic mecca for boating and summer leisure while skiing and snowmobiling abound during the winter months. Along with neighboring Fox Lake, Antioch has become host to numerous pro and amateur national fishing tournaments.

Kite flying is also a popular sporting event on Loon Lake during Labor Day Weekend. As of 2017, the Swiss Kiting Federation holds the record for the longest kite flight of 1 hour and 24 minutes. The village is bordered by four holdings of the Lake County Forest Preserve District.

Elected officials
The village of Antioch is a non-home rule municipality which functions under the council-manager form of government with a village President and a six-member Board of Trustees, all of whom are elected to four-year terms. The Village President and three of the Trustees are elected every four years. The other group of three Trustees are also elected for four-year terms, but this election is staggered and takes place two years after the first group.

Schools
Elementary Schools
 * Public schools
 * Note: this list comprises schools located in Antioch. Not all Antioch school students will attend the following schools.
 * W.C. Petty Elementary School (K-5)
 * Hillcrest Elementary School (PK-5)
 * Antioch Elementary School (K-5)
 * Emmons Grade School (K-8)
 * Grass Lake Elementary School (PK-8)

Middle Schools
 * Antioch Upper Grade School (6-8)

High School (9-12)
 * Antioch Community High School

Private schools
Private middle schools:
 * Faith Evangelical Lutheran School (Grades PK-8) CLOSED
 * St. Peter Catholic School (Grades PK-8) CLOSED

Transportation
Metra service is provided from Antioch to Chicago Union Station via the North Central Service. Bus service within Antioch and throughout Lake County is provided by Pace.

Western Kenosha County Transit Route 2 serves parts of Antioch Monday-Saturday, connecting riders to several towns, villages and unincorporated municipalities throughout Kenosha County. Riders can also transfer to Route 1 and Route 3 to travel to Kenosha and Lake Geneva, respectively.

Antioch is located approximately 43 miles north of Chicago O'Hare International Airport and 40 miles south of General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee.

Major streets
Several major highways and state routes cross over and travel around Antioch.

Public safety
The Antioch Police Department (APD) is responsible for law enforcement in Antioch.

The Antioch Fire Department provides fire and emergency medical services with contract service, part time and paid on call firefighters and Paramedics. The fire department currently uses 3 fire stations to house its different equipment, and all 3 are staffed with personnel. Antioch Fire Department has an array of equipment to use including several engines, 2 water tenders, 2 boats including an air boat, and a six-wheeled vehicle to access hard to reach areas. Antioch Fire Dept. also owns several pieces of special equipment including new state of the art extrication equipment used to extricate injured people from wrecked cars. The Antioch First Fire Protection District was the first organized fire protection district in the state. The Fire Department also has an Explorer post for youths ages 15 to 20 interested in making the fire service a career.

Until 2014, EMS was provided by the volunteer Antioch Rescue Squad. The Antioch Rescue Squad was the first licensed paramedic unit in the State of Illinois.

The police department and the fire department are housed in separate buildings next to each other. The Antioch Village Board elected to close the communication center in 2012, electing to outsource all of its 911 emergency dispatch service (Police, Fire, and Rescue) to another center located in Round Lake Beach. In March 1993, the Antioch Police Department became a part of the Lake County Enhanced 911 system.

Notable people

 * Dale Barnstable (1925-2019), two time NCAA Basketball champion at University of Kentucky, drafted by the Boston Celtics, but never played professionally due to a point shaving scandal
 * Tiffany Brooks (born 1979) winner of 2013 HGTV Design Star
 * Paul DeJong (born 1993), Major League Baseball infielder for the Chicago White Sox.
 * Joe Gliniewicz (1963-2015), Fox Lake, Illinois police officer who staged his own suicide is buried in Antioch
 * Fred Hawkins (1923-2014), PGA Tour golfer
 * Jim McMillen (1902-1984), guard for Chicago Bears for seven seasons; also former mayor of Antioch
 * Kyle Rittenhouse (born 2003), Antioch native and political figure who was controversially involved in the 2020 Kenosha unrest
 * John Thain (born 1955), Chairman and former CEO of CIT Group, former CEO of Merrill Lynch, former CEO of the New York Stock Exchange
 * Tom Wittum (1950-2010), football player for San Francisco 49ers

title: Antioch, Illinois


text:
Bannockburn, Illinois

Bannockburn is a village in West Deerfield and Vernon townships in Lake County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 1,013. The village is generally considered part of the Chicago area's North Shore region. The Friedman house by Frank Lloyd Wright is located in Bannockburn.

Bannockburn was founded by Scottish real estate developer William Aitken, who planned a community of "country estates" on 110 acre in inland Lake County. Named for the Scottish village of Bannockburn, the village began construction in 1924 and was incorporated in 1929. Aitken designed his development for the affluent members of his bridge and country club. His plan for Bannockburn featured large lots to imitate country living, and this design has been preserved; in fact, the original 1 acre minimum on home lots has been increased to two.

Gradually, Bannockburn expanded its boundaries to its current 1318 acre. The Tri-State Tollway was built through the village in the 1950s, encouraging growth, though traffic noise pollution has been a persistent local concern. In the late 1960s Bannockburn's citizens, after some debate, approved the construction of the first of several business parks along the village's northern edge. It created its first commercial zone in 1984 along Illinois Route 22. Bannockburn's municipal services expanded slowly in an effort to limit taxes, but it established a police department in the 1970s and built a village hall in 1992.

Geography
Bannockburn is located at 42.19139°N, -87.86306°W.

According to the 2010 census, Bannockburn has a total area of 2.043 sqmi, of which 2.02 sqmi (or 98.87%) is land and 0.023 sqmi (or 1.13%) is water. The Tri-State Tollway forms the village's western boundary, with the village of Lincolnshire present on the other side of the highway; the city of Lake Forest borders the village to the north, and the village of Deerfield lies to the south. The lake-side communities of Highwood and Highland Park lie directly to the east, separating Bannockburn from Lake Michigan.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,429 people, 250 households, and 222 families residing in the village. The population density was 706.1 PD/sqmi. There were 259 housing units at an average density of 128.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 87.54% White, 3.36% African American, 0.07% Native American, 5.11% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.68% from other races, and 2.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.50% of the population.

There were 250 households, out of which 40.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 84.0% were married couples living together, 3.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 10.8% were non-families. 7.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 14.6% under the age of 18, 46.7% from 18 to 24, 16.0% from 25 to 44, 16.4% from 45 to 64, and 6.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.0 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $150,415, and the median income for a family was $151,825. The per capita income for the village was $39,303. About 2.3% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Companies based in Bannockburn include Stericycle.

Education
The village of Bannockburn is home to Bannockburn Elementary School District 106, a small one-facility district of approximately 200 students from Bannockburn and communities east of the Tri-State Tollway. These students attend Deerfield High School for grades 9-12. Those to the west of the highway are served by Lincolnshire-Prairie View School District 103, and Adlai E. Stevenson District 125. Part of Trinity International University's campus is located within the boundaries of Bannockburn.

Government
Similar to other communities in the area, the Village of Bannockburn functions on a Board of six trustees, a village president, and a salaried full-time village manager that helps monitor and guide the administration and services for the Village of Bannockburn. The six trustees are residents of Bannockburn and are elected to staggered four-year terms. Each trustee is given the responsibility for a department of government activities. The village's president and clerk are elected to two-year terms. As a small community, Bannockburn relies on neighboring Deerfield for a number of essential services.

Notable people

 * Mike Ditka, player and coach with the Chicago Bears, two-time Super Bowl champion, previous resident
 * Kirk Hinrich, player with the Chicago Bulls (2003–2010, 2012–2016), Washington Wizards (2010–2011), and Atlanta Hawks (2011–2012, 2016); previous resident
 * Phil Jackson, coach of the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers; previous resident
 * Joakim Noah, center for the Memphis Grizzlies, Chicago Bulls; previous resident
 * Ron Santo, third baseman for the Chicago Cubs; previous resident
 * Orlando Pace, offensive lineman with the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams; previous resident
 * Chance the Rapper, Chicago rapper; current resident

title: Bannockburn, Illinois