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Creve Coeur, Illinois

Creve Coeur is a village in Groveland Township, Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, the village population was 4,934. Creve Coeur is a suburb of Peoria and is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Creve Coeur has a total area of 4.675 sqmi, of which 4.31 sqmi (or 92.19%) is land and 0.365 sqmi (or 7.81%) is water.

Demographics
At the 2000 census there were 5,448 people, 2,219 households, and 1,488 families in the village. The population density was 1,342.2 PD/sqmi. There were 2,476 housing units at an average density of 610.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 97.14% White, 0.39% African American, 0.53% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.81% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.95%.

Of the 2,219 households 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.2% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 27.2% of households were one person and 9.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.97.

The age distribution was 24.7% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 males.

The median household income was $36,138 and the median family income was $41,006. Males had a median income of $32,188 versus $21,302 for females. The per capita income for the village was $16,712. About 4.5% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation
CityLink provides bus service on Route 23 connecting Creve Coeur to downtown Peoria, downtown Pekin and other destinations.

title: Creve Coeur, Illinois


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Deer Creek, Illinois

Deer Creek is a village in Tazewell and Woodford counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 667 at the 2020 census. Deer Creek is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
Deer Creek was founded in 1830. Deer Creek received its name from the creek that ran through the northwest part of the village and the red deer that roamed the woods and came to the creek for water. In the late 1830s, Abraham Chaffer started the first business in Deer Creek at Chaffer's Corner, which was located in the center of Deer Creek Township. The location of Deer Creek has moved three times since 1830, from Chaffer's Corner to New Castle, from New Castle to Belmont, and from Belmont to the present site of Village of Deer Creek.

Government
The Village of Deer Creek is governed by the Village President and Board of Trustees.

Elected Village Board Members:

 * Village President: James Hackney
 * Village Clerk: Lori Lewis
 * Board of Trustees:
 * Tony Berardi
 * Mary Eschelbach
 * Grant Hackney
 * Ben Koch
 * Mark Rich

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Deer Creek has a total area of 0.569 sqmi, of which 0.56 sqmi (or 98.42%) is land and 0.009 sqmi (or 1.58%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 704 people, 294 households, and 193 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,924.2 PD/sqmi. There were 243 housing units at an average density of 772.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 98.84% White, 0.50% Asian, 0.17% from other races, and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.17% of the population.

There were 227 households, out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.1% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.9% were non-families. 21.6% 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 2.67 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 27.8% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $38,542, and the median income for a family was $43,750. Males had a median income of $31,985 versus $25,278 for females. The per capita income for the village was $17,578. About 6.6% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.

Schools

 * Dee-Mack Primary and Junior High school, located in Mackinaw, provides K-3rd grade and 7th-8th grade education for students residing in Deer Creek.
 * Dee-Mack Intermediate school, located in Deer Creek, provides 4th-6th grade education for students residing in Deer Creek.
 * Dee-Mack High school, located in Mackinaw, provides 9th-12th grade education for students residing in Deer Creek.
 * Both Deer Creek and Mackinaw students alike attend school in Deer Creek-Mackinaw District 701.

Notable person

 * Wilson Tucker, theater technician and writer.

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

title: Deer Creek, Illinois


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Delavan, Illinois

Delavan is a city in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. Its population was 1,689 in the 2010 census. It is a part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
Delavan was founded by a group of settlers from New England. The city derives its name from Edward C. Delavan, a temperance advocate from Albany, New York. A post office has been in operation at Delavan since 1840.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Delavan has a total area of 0.71 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,825 people, 705 households, and 516 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,567.4 PD/sqmi. There were 744 housing units at an average density of 1,046.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 98.36% White, 0.44% African American, 0.16% Asian, 0.16% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.44% of the population. There were no Pacific Islanders or Native Americans.

There were 705 households, out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.5% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.7% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $39,063, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $36,685 versus $21,435 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,734. 5.7% of the population and 4.2% of families were below the poverty line. 5% of those under the age of 18 and 7.5% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Education
Delavan has a consolidated public schools district (#703) which educates pre-school through high school students in different areas of a common campus environment.

Notable people

 * Harriet Creighton (1909–2004), botanist
 * John T. Culbertson, Jr., Illinois Supreme Court justice
 * Johnny McDowell, racing driver
 * Archibald H. Sunderland, U.S. Army major general
 * Julia Thecla, artist

title: Delavan, Illinois


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East Peoria, Illinois

East Peoria is a city in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 22,484 at the 2020 census. East Peoria is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area, located across the Illinois River from downtown Peoria. It is home to many Caterpillar Inc. facilities.

The city is the site of the Par-A-Dice Hotel and Casino, as well as the city's major business center, the Levee District. Located just east of the Illinois River, East Peoria has many points of access to and from the Peoria area. It is also the location of the Festival of Lights, an annual Christmas light display that runs from November to January and draws thousands of visitors from all over central Illinois.

History
Several years after Illinois became a state (which happened December 18, 1818), William Blanchard and three other men (Charles Sargeant, Theodore Sargeant, and David Barnes) crossed Fort Clark (located in Peoria) to the eastern side of the Illinois River. The land here was a swampy floodplain; nevertheless, they made their claim on the land and built huts, growing corn and tomatoes in the fertile soil. This settlement was originally named "Fondulac Township", with fondulac meaning "bottom of the lake" in French.

Over the course of a few years, more settlers arrived. Jacob L. Wilson, Thomas Camelin, and a man simply known as "Donohue" established themselves in the new township, with Wilson eventually becoming the Justice of the Peace.

On June 14, 1855, a petition to plat the Town of Fondulac was filed with Tenth Judicial Circuit Court by Seth Abbott. This plat showed three streets—Mill Street, Main Street, and Depot Avenue—in addition to a saw mill, a cording mill, and a portion of the Peoria & Oquawka Railroad. By 1857, the Peoria & Oquawka Railroad was completed as far east as Chenoa, and the town received and sent farm products by rail. In February 1864, an additional plat of land was laid out for a town named "Bluetown" by William C. Cleveland, who was the Tazewell County Surveyor. This plat showed four streets: Peoria Street, Bloomington Street, Vine Street, and Sycamore Street. The petition for this plat was filed by Joseph Schertz and accepted April 1, 1864. The origins of the name "Bluetown" are claimed to be from Joseph Schertz, who "always wore blue smocks at their work."

On July 1, 1884, citizens of both Fondulac and Bluetown held a referendum at the public school to propose both towns be incorporated as one. This proposition passed by a vote of 30–12, and the two towns were merged into the Village of Hilton. There is no official origin behind the new name, but there is a connection with the Hilton Coal & Iron Mining Co. at the eastern end of town. On August 4, the first village Board of Trustees was elected. Nicholas Slagle was named the first president, and he appointed Thomas J. Floyd and Joseph Moseman as the village clerk and treasurer, respectively. Peter Schertz, H.F. Cappo, J.G. Vogelgesang, Samuel Allen Sr., and Edward Lange Sr. were elected to the board as well.

The village existed as Hilton for five years. In October, 1889, the name was changed to the "Village of East Peoria", since it was east of the city of Peoria. The name underwent a final change in April 1919, when it became the "City of East Peoria".

Geography
According to the 2020 census, East Peoria has a total area of 22.147 sqmi, of which 20.41 sqmi (or 90.13%) is land and 1.73 sqmi (or 9.87%) is water.

Demographics
Within East Peoria, there are 22,484 people, 9,658 households, and 5,975 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,101.6 PD/sqmi. There are 10,804 housing units. The racial makeup of the city is 90% White, 1.6% African American, 0.25% Native American or Alaska Native, 0.97% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 1.1% from other races, and 6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race are 2.2% of the population.

There are 9,658 households, out of which 25.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% are married couples living together, 5.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 38.1% are non-families. 31.3% of all households are made up of individuals, and 13.5% have someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.31 and the average family size is 2.89.

The population is spread out, with 20.1% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 41.9 years. For every 100 females, there are 103.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 102 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $68,246, and the median income for a family is $88,008. Males have a median income of $44,198 versus $32,917 for females. The per capita income for the city is $35,578. About 2.8% of families and 10.6% of the population are below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.

Peoria Brick Company
Among the natural resources available to extract were clay and shale—important for brickmaking. While numerous small brickmaking plants were scattered around East Peoria in the 1880s, F.R. Carter Brick Yard (later known as Peoria Brick & Tile, and Peoria Brick Company) would sustain itself to the present. In 1899 Frederick R. Carter purchased the Spurck Paving Brick Plant, manufacturing paving and building bricks and shipping them via the Lake Erie & Western Railroad. In the beginning, the brick yard had 60 employees and could produce up to 40,000 bricks a day. In 1909, Carter expanded the business to include an additional plant on Cole Hollow Road; the new location featured 10 dome-like brick kilns that were 30 feet in diameter and 16 feet tall. In addition, Carter purchased Rapp Clay Products in April 1925. Subsequently, Carter decided to close the original plant and had all brick manufacturing occur at the Cole Hollow Road location. By 1939, the company increased daily production to 65,000 bricks a day. They also transitioned from fuel sources such as coal and wood to gas, and used electricity to operate machinery rather than horsepower.

Although brick manufacturing ceased in 1982, the company has diversified its offerings in accordance with community needs. Now, they offer a wide variety of masonry and landscaping materials and have a much broader customer-base. Tom said, "Approximately 40 percent of our sales come from landscaping. You have to have diversity in order to stay with the times". In May 2013, Peoria Brick & Tile was renamed to Peoria Brick Company and expanded again by opening a new location in Mossville, Illinois.

The business has remained under the Carter family's management since its creation. Frederick's sons Charles, Raymond, and Ben, and Frederick's son-in-law Harry Maw, joined him in operating the plant. In 1966, the son-in-law of Charles, Thomas J. Carney, purchased the company. Thomas' son Tom Carney Jr. said, "After my grandfather, Charles Carter, passed away in 1964, the business transferred to my mother, Jane Carter, and father, Tom. I started in 1970, and my sister, Mary Pat Turner, and her husband Steve started in 1978. They retired in 2010". As of 2023, Tom Carney Jr., his daughter, and his son-in-law maintain operations.

Caterpillar Inc.
The Holt Manufacturing Company in Stockton, California, had successfully built crawler-type tractors and in 1909 began looking for manufacturing facilities closer to the vast agricultural markets in the Midwest farm belt. Company President Benjamin Holt dispatched his nephew, Pliny E. Holt in March 1909 to find another plant. He met Murray Baker, an implement dealer, who knew of a factory already equipped to manufacture farm implements and steam traction engines that had belonged to the bankrupt Colean Manufacturing Co. of East Peoria. Pliny inspected the Colean factory and learned Colean had spent at least $450,000 on the relatively new building and machinery. Holt bought the assets on October 25, 1909, for the $50,000 note held by a trust company. and began operations on February 15, 1910 with 12 employees. The "Holt Caterpillar Company" was incorporated in both Illinois and California on January 12, 1910. East Peoria became Holt Manufacturing Company's eastern manufacturing plant, competing with the nearby Avery Tractor Company. Holt was credited with producing the first practical continuous tracks for use with tractors and he registered "Caterpillar" as a trademark in 1911. The Peoria facility proved so profitable that only two years later the Peoria facility employed 625 people and was exporting tractors to Argentina, Canada, and Mexico. In April and May 1925, after a period of financial difficulty, the financially stronger C. L. Best merged with the market leader Holt Caterpillar to form the Caterpillar Tractor Co. Clarence Leo Best assumed the title of CEO, and remained in that role until October 1951. The new company was headquartered in San Leandro until 1930, when under the terms of the merger it was moved to Peoria. The Caterpillar company consolidated its product lines and went on to supply the Allied armies with artillery tractors during World War I, the first use of crawling type tractors for military purposes.

When World War I broke out, with the problem of trench warfare and the difficulty of transporting supplies to the front, the pulling power of crawling-type tractors drew the attention of the military. In British trials, the 75 hp Holt tractor was found to be better suited than its competitors to haul heavy loads over uneven ground. The War Office was suitably impressed and chose it as a gun-tractor. Holt Caterpillar tractors were also the inspiration for the development of the British tank, which profoundly altered ground warfare tactics.

Par-A-Dice Hotel and Casino
Par-A-Dice Hotel and Casino is a riverboat casino located on the Illinois River off Illinois Route 116/U.S. Route 150 in East Peoria, Illinois, United States. Originally opened in 1991 in Peoria, it moved to East Peoria in 1993. While it was established through investors, Boyd Gaming purchased the casino in 1996 for $175 million USD.

From 1991 to 1999, Par-A-Dice cruised the river daily, until Illinois removed the requirement for riverboat casinos to leave their docks. This was reversed in June 2010 with the new U.S. Coast Guard annual requirement, and the riverboat set off along the river for the first time in 11 years.

In 2020, East Peoria’s adjusted gross revenue from casinos dropped by 34.6% from $74.5 million to $48.7 million USD.

Levee District
The main commercial area of East Peoria is the Levee District. Located just across the river from downtown Peoria, it is a mixed-use project with a wide variety of restaurants, shopping malls, and accommodations. For the bulk of the 1900s, the area was a Caterpillar manufacturing site. In 1998, it was razed to the ground and all that remained was a concrete slab. The land was bought by the city for redevelopment in 2000, creating an opportunity to transform the industrial downtown into a commercial hub. East Peorians previously would have to travel to Peoria for dining and shopping; with the creation of the Levee District, residents could do so locally. A range of both national and local restaurants can be found in the Levee District.

In concert with the renovation of remaining Caterpillar buildings, the development of the downtown Peoria Riverfront Museum and Caterpillar Visitor's Center, and the renovation of Interstate 74 and of the area's bridges, East Peoria's downtown and urban area have developed substantially.

Fondulac District Library
The Fondulac District Library was established with the help of the East Peoria Woman's Club in 1935. Since then, it has moved locations several times to accommodate the increased usage and size of the collection. The collection includes Playaway devices, magazines, board games, puzzles, Roku players, and Wi-Fi hotspots.

April 2013 Flood
On April 17, 2013, East Peoria was among the communities impacted by the flooding from heavy storms. Water was high enough to strand vehicles and the soil was so waterlogged that mudslides occurred. That evening, a leak was discovered at the library. The water was cleaned up and the leak was presumed to be fixed. The next morning, the basement of the library had filled with several thousands of gallons of water. While the majority of the collection was safely transported upstairs intact, the walls, carpet, and furnishings were damaged, along with the computers. The library did not reopen to the public until April 24, 2013.

New Building and Relocation
In April 2009, residents of East Peoria approved a referendum to build a new library in the present-day Levee District. In June 2012, ground was broken to begin the construction. This library is approximately 32,000 square feet, and features a larger collection of media than previous libraries. The library opened to the public on November 1, 2013.

The library shares an atrium called the Civic Complex with East Peoria City Hall, which was built on other side in 2015. The library has a circulation department and children's department on the first floor, while adult services, reference, and local history are on the second. In addition, there are public computers and several study rooms available for use on the second floor.

Levee Park features a reading garden that was dedicated to the library in 2018. It features seating with umbrellas for shade, as well as landscaping, a water fountain, and a Free Little Library. Costing $500,000 USD to construct, it was paid for entirely through private donations to the East Peoria Community Foundation.

Festival of Lights
Beginning after Thanksgiving and ending in the first week of January, the city holds a Christmas light event known as the Festival of Lights. Started in 1984, it was initially a Parade of Lights, in which floats decorated in Christmas lights were driven through town. In 1986, the pencil-steel E.P. Noel Riverboat debuted. It appeared to be very popular with the city, so each float ever since has been made with pencil steel. As lighting effects improved over the years, animated features have been added to the floats.

In 1993, the Winter Wonderland drive-through was constructed. All of the floats and displays stay here for the duration of the festival, and receive about 25,000 visitors annually.

From 1984 to 2013, The Festival Wreath was a Ferris wheel with fluorescent light tubes attached to its frame. In 2014, a new Festival Wreath replaced it with a welded frame, 80 tube-shaped lights, 1,000 lightbulbs, and rope lights. It sits on top of Fon du Lac Drive, overlooking the city.

The symbol for the Festival of Lights is a little wooden toy soldier named FOLEPI (pronounced FO-LEE-PEE), which stands for Festival of Lights, East Peoria, Illinois.

In 2020, the Festival of Lights was named Heavyweights Champion on ABC TV’s The Great Christmas Light Fight.

Parks and recreation
East Peoria Park District has over 1,600 acre. Carl Spindler Marina Campground overlooks the Illinois River. Fon du Lac Farm Park, Splashdown Water Park, and Recreational Courts and Skate Park are other recreational areas.

East Peoria has two golf courses: Fon du Lac Golf Course and Quail Meadows.

Levee Park
Levee Park, a green space right behind Fondulac District Library, is being developed. Initially just a grassy island, construction has been taking place to convert it into a more engaging place for citizens to visit since 2018. The plan consists of three phases, with the first phase dedicating a reading garden to the library, and the second phase involving the installation of outdoor restrooms and utility lines. The city plans to add a splashpad and a sheltered amphitheater as part of the third and final phase. The project has been entirely funded by grants and donations. A portion of the final phase is paid for through an Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grant. This grant was awarded to 87 parks across 31 counties for a total of $30.3 million USD.

Sports
The EastSide Centre is a sports complex located on the eastern side of town. It features facilities for several sports, such as basketball, baseball/softball, soccer, lacrosse, as well as a walking track and gymnasium.

The complex is used as a venue for primary, secondary, and college athletic events. It is a regular host to IHSA’s State Softball Championships and IESA’s State Track and Baseball Finals, and the Robert Morris–Peoria Eagles baseball and club football team use the facility.

Education
East Peoria is serviced by a Head Start, three school districts, and a local community college.

Primary and Secondary Education

 * Tazewell-Woodford Head Start; a federally funded early childhood education, nutrition, health, and parent involvement program for low-income families
 * East Peoria Elementary School District 86; three K-2 schools, three 3rd-5th grade schools, and one 6th-8th grade junior high school
 * Robein School District 85; one K-8 grade school in the Robein neighborhood of East Peoria
 * East Peoria Community High School District 309; one 8th-12th grade high school (East Peoria High School)

Creve Coeur School District #76, a K-8 school, feeds into East Peoria Community High School.

College Education
Located at the northeastern edge of the city, Illinois Central College (ICC) is a community college with campuses in East Peoria, Peoria, and Pekin. ICC serves all or parts of ten central Illinois counties: Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford, Bureau, Logan, Marshall, Livingston, McLean, Stark, and Mason.

In September 1965, a referendum to authorize a taxy levy in order to establish a community college was circulated around town. In May 1966, central Illinois residents approved it by a margin of 16,870-8,421. The educational district, Community College District #514, would become Illinois Central College by November 10, 1966. In the autumn of 1967 the college's first semester started, with Dr. Kenneth L. Edwards as president, 56 full-time faculty employed, and 2,486 students enrolled. In the 1970s, student enrollment increased to 9,000 and the college expanded its services to include an academic and business program oriented campus in downtown Peoria. By the 1990s, the college further expanded the campus in Peoria and built the Caterpillar Service Training Building. The addition of this building demonstrated the collaborative relationship of the college, the local community, and the manufacturing industry. In 2009, the Pekin campus was opened.

The college offers a wide variety of programs, including those that award certificates, are transferrable, or offer degrees. For example, some transferrable programs include Pre-Med, Pre-Law, Journalism, and Education. The college also has programs that focus on workforce development and GED certificates.

Media
The Pilot served as East Peoria's first newspaper, beginning publications on September 13, 1901, by A.R. Zimmerman – its lead story celebrated East Peoria's first paved road. The Pilot was followed by the East Peoria Post, which was published weekly in the 1910s-1920s. In 1927, the progenitor of the city's current newspaper began circulating. It was named East Peoria Courier, and was founded by Aaron K. Brill, who was well-known for his work in the Peoria Star. In 1956, East Peoria Courier was purchased by the Tazewell Publishing Company, and was renamed the Tazewell Courier until 1980, when it reverted back to East Peoria Courier. In 1997, the newspaper changed its name once more to the East Peoria Times-Courier.

East Peoria is home to the majority of the commercial television broadcast outlets that serve the Peoria area. WEEK-TV, channel 25, the local NBC affiliate, has long maintained studios and transmitter facilities on Springfield Road in East Peoria. In recent years, other stations have moved in with WEEK-TV as a result of operations mergers through local marketing agreements, including MyNetworkTV affiliate WTVK (channel 59), and ABC affiliate WHOI (channel 19), which moved to the Springfield Road studios in 2009 from its former location in nearby Creve Coeur. The remainder of Peoria's TV stations maintain their studios across the river in Peoria.

Highways and State Routes
The East Peoria area is served by Interstate 74, which runs from northwest to southeast through the northern half of the city, connecting to Peoria via the Murray Baker Bridge. U.S. Route 150 is the main arterial for East Peoria, running concurrently with Main Street until it heads northeast past the I-74 interchange.

The following state routes run through East Peoria:

 * Illinois Route 8 roughly parallels I-74 to the south. Illinois 8 crosses into East Peoria via the Cedar Street Bridge with 116. Illinois 8 is marked as an east–west road.
 * Illinois Route 29 splits from Interstate 74 across the Murray Baker Bridge, running southwest through the city and becoming Illinois 29 is marked as a north–south road.
 * Illinois Route 40 (formerly 88) enters from the Bob Michel Bridge and runs south through the center of the city, becoming Washington Street before terminating at the I-74 entrance ramp. Illinois 40 is marked as a north–south road.
 * Illinois Route 116 enters East Peoria from the west at the Cedar Street Bridge.

Rail Transportation
East Peoria is served by two shortline railroads: the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad (T&P) and the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway, both owned by Genesee & Wyoming Inc. The Tazewell & Peoria Railroad leases the Peoria and Pekin Union Railway (which straddles the Illinois River at Peoria) and is an important transportation link for East Peoria businesses such as Caterpillar. The Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway has limited trackage rights in East Peoria, only going through the eastern half of the city before interchanging with Tazewell & Peoria Railroad.

East Peoria was served by Amtrak's Prairie Marksman (Chicago–East Peoria) from 1980 to 1981. The nearest passenger stations are both owned by Amtrak- Southwest Chief in Galesburg and Lincoln Service in Bloomington.

Public Transportation
Public bus service is provided by the Greater Peoria Mass Transit District, which operates 21 bus routes under the name CityLink. CityLink serves much of East Peoria, Illinois Central College, Peoria, Peoria Heights, West Peoria, and points between Peoria and Pekin.

Routes #8 and #20 services East Peoria, while #20 also services Illinois Central College. Route #23 provides connecting service between Pekin and East Peoria.

Aviation
Located just west of Peoria, the General Wayne Downing Peoria International Airport serves the area. It has 3 passenger airlines (Allegiant Air, American, and United) and numerous cargo carriers.

Utilities
Water services are provided by the East Peoria Public Works, which services most, if not all of East Peoria homes and businesses. The water is extremely hard, at 28 grains/gallon (roughly 479 mg/L) as calcium. A higher-capacity water softener may be required to adequately soften water of this hardness level.

Electric and gas supply and delivery is provided by Ameren Illinois. From 2012 to June 2022, East Peorians were part of a municipal electrical aggregation program. This program allowed municipalities to combine electricity usage with other cities and towns in the same utility region.

Notable people

 * Joe Girardi, catcher for four Major League Baseball teams and former manager of the New York Yankees; native of East Peoria: played in East Peoria Little League
 * Matthew F. Hale, white separatist, sentenced to a 40-year in prison for soliciting an undercover FBI informant to kill federal judge Joan Lefkow; raised in East Peoria
 * Kent Hovind — Young Earth creationist
 * Sam Kinison, comedian and actor (Have You Seen Me Lately?, Savage Dawn, Back to School); attended East Peoria Community High School
 * Howard Lance — Chairman & CEO, Harris Corporation
 * Roger Phegley, shooting guard and small forward for six National Basketball Association teams; played both baseball and basketball for East Peoria Community High School
 * Gary Richrath, guitarist and songwriter (REO Speedwagon)

title: East Peoria, Illinois


text:
Goodfield, Illinois

Goodfield is a village in Tazewell and Woodford counties in Illinois. The population was 936 at the 2020 census, up from 686 at the 2000 census. Goodfield is part of the Peoria, Illinois, Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
The site of Goodfield was surveyed for John Guth of Washington, Illinois, on August 29, 1888. The name Goodfield is believed to derive from Guthville (via Goodville), named after John Guth.

2019 Fire
The area of the village gained local, national, and global notoriety when a 9-year-old boy allegedly set fire to a trailer that contained his mother and several other relatives, killing five, including at least one or two young children who were relatives. The fire was, after some time, determined to be suspicious by the coroner and fire investigators and area police. The boy, who as a young juvenile cannot be named (there is, after the mother gave an interview, also a court-imposed gag order on all parties), is subsequently being prosecuted on five first degree murder charges and aggravated arson resulting in death. The boy, taken from his mother after the fire, is a ward of the state, and his grandparents are now his legal guardians. His initial appearance was before Judge Charles Feeney, who took careful time to explain the charges and their meaning. Under Illinois law, those under 10 cannot be detained except for brief questioning, and those under 13 cannot be detained in a juvenile facility or juvenile detention center. They must be at least 16 to be transferred to adult court. He will face probation for a minimum of five years but not after age 21, restitution and/or some form of service, and intensive therapy, counseling, and rehabilitation. He is the youngest to be charged in central Illinois since at least 2006, especially for such a serious offense that in adult could bring life without parole in the non-death penalty state.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Goodfield has a total area of 1.698 sqmi, of which 1.69 sqmi (or 99.53%) is land and 0.008 sqmi (or 0.47%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 686 people, 229 households, and 199 families residing in the village. The population density was 474.2 PD/sqmi. There were 235 housing units at an average density of 162.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 99.13% White, 0.15% African American, 0.29% from other races, and 0.44% from two or more races.

There were 229 households, out of which 42.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 79.9% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.1% were non-families. 10.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.2% 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 3.24.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 32.4% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $60,069, and the median income for a family was $61,736. Males had a median income of $46,042 versus $26,125 for females. The per capita income for the village was $20,099. About 2.1% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.6% of those under age 18 and 2.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
CNH (company) has a plant located in Goodfield that manufactures branded (Case IH, New Holland, and DMI) crop production, fertilizer and tillage equipment. Goodfield also has local businesses including EarlyBird Feed and Fertilizer and a diner named Busy Corner.

Notable people

 * Styropyro, Youtube personality

title: Goodfield, Illinois


text:
Green Valley, Illinois

Green Valley is a village in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. It is south of Pekin near the county border along Illinois State Route 29. The population was 709 at the 2010 census

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Green Valley has a total area of 0.3 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 728 people, 262 households, and 205 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,360.6 PD/sqmi. There were 280 housing units at an average density of 907.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 99.04% White, 0.14% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.27% Asian, and 0.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.69% of the population.

There were 262 households, out of which 41.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.8% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.4% were non-families. 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 29.4% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $40,833, and the median income for a family was $50,268. Males had a median income of $39,196 versus $22,353 for females. The per capita income for the village was $17,830. About 5.4% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

title: Green Valley, Illinois


text:
Hopedale, Illinois

Hopedale is a village in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 865 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town is also home to a small number of restaurants, general stores, parks, and the Hopedale Medical Complex.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Hopedale has a total area of 0.504 sqmi, of which 0.5 sqmi (or 99.21%) is land and 0.004 sqmi (or 0.79%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 929 people, 322 households, and 228 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,729.8 PD/sqmi. There were 349 housing units at an average density of 649.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 99.78% White, and 0.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.11% of the population.

There were 322 households, out of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.2% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 24.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 21.1% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 17.2% from 45 to 64, and 29.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $37,596, and the median income for a family was $42,625. Males had a median income of $37,188 versus $23,750 for females. The per capita income for the village was $17,784. About 3.8% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.

The estimated population in July 2006 is 919, with a decrease of 1.1%.

title: Hopedale, Illinois


text:
Mackinaw, Illinois

Mackinaw is a village in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States, and is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its population was 1,950 at the 2010 census.

History
The village lies within, but is politically independent of Mackinaw Township. Both take their name from the nearby Mackinaw River. Mackinaw (sometimes spelled Mackinac) is derived from the Ojibwe word mikinaak meaning "turtle".

Mackinaw was the first county seat of Tazewell County, from 1827 to 1831 when it moved to Pekin. The courthouse was built for $125 by Amasa Stout.

Following the 1933 end to prohibition, Mackinaw remained a "dry" community through 2013, when residents voted to allow the sale of alcohol.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Mackinaw has a total area of 1.38 sqmi, of which 1.35 sqmi (or 97.83%) is land and 0.03 sqmi (or 2.17%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,950 people, 746 households, and 540 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,416.4 people per square mile and there were 799 housing units. The racial makeup of the village was 97.69% White, 0.72% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 1.69% of the population.

There were 579 households, out of which 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals living alone, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 31.1% under the age of 19, 33.4% from 20 to 44, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $61,083 and the median income for a family was $71,027. Males had a median income of $40,147 versus $21,429 for females. The   per capita income for the village was $23,853. About 1% of families and 1.53% of the population were below the poverty line.

Schools
Their high school is Deer Creek-Mackinaw High School and it is located on 401 E. Fifth St, Mackinaw, IL. Both students from Mackinaw and Deer Creek, Illinois attend Deemack High School. Dee-Mack athletics participate in the Heart of Illinois Conference and in 2012 their girls' volleyball team won the class 2A state title. This was Dee-Mack's first state championship. On November 25, 2016, Dee-Mack's football team played in their first football state championship game in 29 years. They played Maroa-Forsyth for the class 2A Illinois State Championship in Champaign, Illinois at the University of Illinois' Memorial Stadium. They won the game 35–7, which was the first state championship in football for the school. They finished their season with a 13–1 record.

title: Mackinaw, Illinois


text:
Marquette Heights, Illinois

Marquette Heights is a city in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,824 at the 2010 census. Marquette Heights is a suburb of Peoria and is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Marquette Heights has a total area of 0.99 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,794 people, 982 households, and 815 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,702.7 PD/sqmi. There were 1,006 housing units at an average density of 613.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 98.21% White, 0.39% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.39% from other races, and 0.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.32% of the population.

There were 982 households, out of which 38.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.1% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.0% were non-families. 14.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.5% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 7.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $47,073, and the median income for a family was $50,714. Males had a median income of $40,870 versus $23,674 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,935. About 2.7% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Transportation
CityLink provides bus service on Route 23 connecting Marquette Heights to downtown Peoria, downtown Pekin and other destinations.

title: Marquette Heights, Illinois


text:
Minier, Illinois

Minier is a village in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,154 at the 2020 census. Minier is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
The village was named for its founder, G. W. Minier, a friend of Abe Lincoln.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Minier has a total area of 0.62 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,244 people, 507 households, and 360 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,991.2 PD/sqmi. There were 529 housing units at an average density of 846.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 98.79% White, 0.16% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.32% from other races, and 0.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.29% of the population.

There were 507 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.8% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $41,900, and the median income for a family was $47,500. Males had a median income of $36,458 versus $26,667 for females. The per capita income for the village was $19,478. About 7.8% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Notable residents

 * Edward Buehrig, educator

title: Minier, Illinois


text:
Morton, Illinois

Morton is a village in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 17,117 at the 2020 census. Morton is a suburb of Peoria, located southeast of Peoria, and is part of the Peoria Metropolitan Statistical Area. The community holds a yearly Morton Pumpkin Festival for a week every September, and claims that "99 percent of the world's canned pumpkin is produced in Morton," earning it the designation "Pumpkin Capital of the World".

Geography
According to the 2004 census, Morton has a total area of 12.994 sqmi, of which 12.95 sqmi (or 99.66%) is land and 0.044 sqmi (or 0.34%) is water.

Demographics
At the 2010 census there were 16,267 people, 6,622 households, and 4,507 families living in the village. The population density was 1,251.9 PD/sqmi. There were 6,973 housing units at an average density of 536.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 96.3% White, 0.7% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 5% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.7%.

Of the 6,622 households 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.4% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 27.6% of households were one person and 12.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.95.

The age distribution was 23.6% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 84, and 19.0% 65 or older. The median age was 41.4 years. For every 100 females there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.

The median household income was $70,878 and the median family income was $67,800. Males had a median income of $44,055 versus $170,629 for females. The per capita income for the village was $34,632. About 3.3% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.901% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Morton is the home of a Caterpillar Inc. distribution facility and a Libby's pumpkin cannery. Morton is also home to the corporate headquarters of Morton Buildings, Inc. Morton's economy has been shaped by its proximity to both east/west and north/south interstates (I-74, I-474, I-155, I-55), central location between Chicago, St. Louis and Indianapolis, the presence of Caterpillar's logistics center, proximity to Caterpillar's manufacturing facilities in Peoria, and the surrounding fertile farmland. Morton is a net importer of workforce due to the high concentration of major employers and has an unemployment rate (approximately 4%) below the regional, state and national averages. Major industry clusters include advanced manufacturing and logistics/distribution.

Parks and recreation
Four disc golf courses are located in Morton.

Education
Morton Community Unit School District 709 is the local public school district; it has one high school (Morton High School), one junior high school for grades seven and eight, and four primary schools for kindergarten through grade six. Private schools in the village are Blessed Sacrament and Bethel Lutheran, both private grade schools with preschool through eighth grade.

Elementary schools

 * Grundy Elementary School (academic rank: 7)
 * Jefferson Elementary School (academic rank: 1)
 * Lettie Brown Elementary School (academic rank: 3)
 * Lincoln Elementary School (academic rank: 2)

Junior High schools

 * Morton Junior High School

High schools

 * Morton High School

Other schools

 * Morton (Pumpkin) Academy

Notable people

 * Jay Ackerman, Illinois state representative and pumpkin farmer
 * David Burritt, businessman; CEO of U.S. Steel
 * Derek Grimm, basketball player, University of Missouri Tigers men's basketball player, played in the NBA for the Sacramento Kings.
 * Dave Kindred, American sportswriter.
 * J. R. Koch, basketball player, University of Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball player, selected by New York Knicks in 1999 NBA draft; attended Morton High School
 * David E. Lilienthal, public administrator; appointed to lead the Tennessee Valley Authority and later the Atomic Energy Commission
 * Roger Sommer, Illinois State Senator

title: Morton, Illinois


text:
North Pekin, Illinois

North Pekin is a village in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,573 at the 2010 census. North Pekin is a suburb of Peoria and is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, North Pekin has a total area of 1.708 sqmi, of which 1.68 sqmi (or 98.36%) is land and 0.028 sqmi (or 1.64%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,574 people, 602 households, and 462 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,359.9 PD/sqmi. There were 634 housing units at an average density of 547.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 97.78% White, 0.44% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.06% from other races, and 1.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.38% of the population.

There were 602 households, out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.3% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.1% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.2 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $41,375, and the median income for a family was $44,013. Males had a median income of $37,734 versus $19,821 for females. The per capita income for the village was $18,072. About 8.4% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.5% of those under age 18 and 2.6% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation
CityLink provides bus service on Route 23 connecting North Pekin to downtown Peoria, downtown Pekin and other destinations.

title: North Pekin, Illinois


text:
South Pekin, Illinois

South Pekin is a village in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 996 at the 2020 census and is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
South Pekin was incorporated on April 12, 1917, five miles south of Pekin in an area previously known as "McFadden Flats". The village is located in Sections 27 and 34 of Cincinnati Township, which was formed in 1850. South Pekin began as a railway station on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad (C&NW).

Settlement began in the 1820s in the South Pekin area when white settlers arrived in the future Tazewell County. The railroad constructed its line from Nelson, Illinois to Peoria in 1901. In 1904, C&NW discovered a large coalfield near Staunton in Macoupin County. A few years later, C&NW decided to build a line of access to the coal field and carry freight between Chicago and St. Louis. By March 1912, the right of way had been purchased and construction was started. C&NW needed a water, refueling, and repair station midway on the new line. The first choice for the location of this new station was Green Valley, Illinois, but residents protested and the railroad selected South Pekin as the site of the new station.

Al Casper was the first permanent resident; he arrived with his family on December 25, 1912. More families arrived and the railroad gave them boxcars to use as homes on a location that was known as McFadden Flats. The village of South Pekin was laid out in Cincinnati Township on July 10, 1913 and incorporated on April 12, 1917.

The economic possibilities that came with the railroad caused business leaders in Pekin to be very interested to pull the switch yard closer and get the new "railroad people" with steady work and good pay in their town. Ultimately most employees opted to settle close to the yard which was already located in South Pekin. In addition to the numerous blue collar jobs the C&NW operation also brought management positions and erected a three-story masonry office building (which was demolished near the beginning of the 21st century). South Pekin was a home terminal for Chicago and Northwestern Railroad crews in the twentieth century. Trains were made up in the middle of the town in a "Kick" Yard. After the trains were put together, crews would get on the train and proceed south to East St. Louis or north to Nelson, where they would be relieved and allowed to sleep for the next tour of operation. The Chicago and Northwestern also maintained a bunkhouse in South Pekin where crews could stop for the night. In the 1970s train crews would go onward through Nelson and proceed to Proviso (a suburb of Chicago) or to Clinton, Iowa. At times there were as many as 20 trains per day either made up at South Pekin or that went through South Pekin.

South Pekin has been a home to a recording studio called The Golden Voice Recording, owned and operated by Jerry L and Mary Anne Milam. The studio was in operation from 1966 to 1978. A fire that was believed to be arson destroyed the recording studio in 1978.

Disasters
South Pekin has seen its share of disasters, starting with flooding during the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. The town's worst disaster was the F3 tornado of March 30, 1938, that destroyed much of South Pekin and killed nine of the village’s residents; it remains the deadliest tornado in Central Illinois over 85 years later. National Weather Service research suggests the storm was a super-cell that spawned up to five tornadoes. On May 9, 1995 another tornado rated F1 moved northeast across town, destroying several garages and destroying a railroad barracks. Two injuries and around one million dollars in damage was reported. On May 15, a tornado touched down just south of town that would later hit Tremont. On May 10, 2003, South Pekin was again hit by a tornado. The tornado touched down three miles southwest of town around 9:45 P.M. and crossed Highway 29 into the village at F3 intensity. It went through the village at 9:50 PM and was about a quarter mile wide. There were 23 injuries in South Pekin but no fatalities. The town was rebuilt over the next ten years and constructed a new tornado warning system.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, South Pekin has a total area of 0.5 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of 2010, there were 1,146 people, 437 households, and 314 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,292 people per square mile (884 people/km$2$). There were 437 housing units at an average density of 874 per square mile (337.5 housing units/km$2$). The racial makeup of the village was 98.17% White, 0.35% Black, 0.17% Native American, 0.09% Asian, and 0.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.31%.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 31.0% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $40,455, and the median income for a family was $42,102. Males had a median income of $32,292 versus $20,125 for females. The per capita income for the village was $15,717. About 6.1% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.0% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over. The unemployment rate in South Pekin was 6.2% as of March 2015. While higher than the national unemployment rate, this is lower than the state average and significantly lower than other communities in the metro area.

title: South Pekin, Illinois


text:
Tremont, Illinois

Tremont is a village in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,277 at the 2020 census. Tremont is located 14 miles southeast of Peoria.

History
James Chapman settled in the Tremont area in 1820, followed by William Sterling, William and James Broyhill, Michael Trout, and David Lackland. Margaret E. Lackland was the first to be born in the new settlement. A post office was established in 1835 and the first postmaster was Wiliam Sampson. Josiah James and J. H. Harris laid out the village, built a school house, and built a church. Tremont was governed under district control until March 11, 1835, when it was organized as a town.

Courthouse
Tremont became the seat of Tazewell County in 1836. John Harris donated 20 acres of land, and the citizens raised $2,000 to bring the county seat to the town. The two-story red brick courthouse was 40 by 60 feet with Grecian columns and an octagonal cupola topped with a weathervane. Construction began in 1837 and completed in 1839. Due to a political rivalry, the county seat transferred back to Pekin in 1849.

Tremont was also host to Abraham Lincoln during his travels as a lawyer before his advancement into higher office. Lincoln visited the Tremont Courthouse in 1842; here, James Shields challenged him to a duel. Lincoln last spoke in Tremont on August 30, 1858. A marker now stands in commemoration of the courthouse.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Tremont has a total area of 0.94 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
Tremont is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.

As of the census of 2010, there were 5,500 people, 900 households, and 750 families residing in the village and the surrounding upscale subdivisions and agricultural areas. There are 4 main subdivisions of Tremont: Lake Windemere, Royal Colony, Hickory Hills and Lake Knolls. The population density was 2,128.8 PD/sqmi. There were 835 housing units at an average density of 876.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 98.50% White, 0.50% African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.10% from other races, and 0.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.44% of the population.

There were 816 households, out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.1% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $85,137, and the median income for a family was $89,800. Males had a median income of $61,118 versus $44,750 for females. The per capita income for the village was $41,888. About 2.0% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.

As of 2018, there are 5 churches, 2 grocery stores, 1 coffee shop, 1 fast food restaurant, 1 diner, 1 seasonal ice cream shack and 6 bars located in the township limits. There are also 4 gas stations, 2 banks, a library, and a fitness center. Tremont Medical Clinic (now known as OSF Healthcare Tremont) provides the services of two general practice physicians (one specializing in women's issues), two nurse practitioners, and a physician assistant. A full listing is available in the Tremont, Illinois Business Directory.

Economy
The largest employer is R.A. Cullinan. Precision Planting (AGCO) is located several miles south of Tremont.

The headquarters of the Tazewell County Health Department are in Tremont.

Education
There are three public schools in Tremont: Tremont Grade School, Tremont Middle School, and Tremont High School. In 2004, the Tremont School District was honored with three awards from the State of Illinois, including the Bright A+ Award, the Bright Star Award, and the Financial Recognition Award.

The Tremont District Library is at the heart of the community. In addition to being able to check out books, movies, and other materials, the library frequently has activities for patrons of all ages. A few of the services they provide are: interlibrary loans, delivery to homebound patrons, and public computers, to name a few. The library is also a facility to locate resources for researching local history and genealogical materials.

Events
Tremont is most well known in central Illinois for its annual summer festival, the Tremont Turkey Festival. The festival draws 20,000-30,000 people into the small village for the weekend. The festival includes free entertainment, bed races, an antique tractor pull, pageant, parade, craft and antique vendors, and a carnival. Tremont hosted its 50th Turkey Festival in 2015. The festival has remained entirely volunteer-run since 1966 and features turkey sandwiches and strawberry shortcake.

Notable people

 * Bonnie Cooper (1935-2018), baseball player
 * Myra Kingman (1873-1922), journalist and clubwoman
 * Danny Lloyd (Born 1972), former child actor, starred in The Shining as Danny Torrance
 * Katy Nichole (Born 2000), Christian singer
 * Bob Trumpy (Born 1945), former NFL Tight-end for the Cincinnati Bengals (1968-1977).

title: Tremont, Illinois


text:
Washington, Illinois

Washington is a city in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. Washington is on U.S. Route 24 and Illinois Route 8, northeast of East Peoria. The population was 16,071 at the 2020 census, a 48.2% percent increase over 2000. It is a suburb of Peoria and is part of the Peoria Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
Washington was founded in 1825 by William Holland Sr.,  who came from North Carolina and was hired by the U.S. government to provide blacksmith services to the local Native Americans. During his long and eventful life, he was married three times, and was the father of twenty-one children: fourteen by his first wife and seven by his second wife. He had eighty-two grandchildren and fifty great grandchildren. He died in Washington on November 27, 1871, at the age of ninety-one. The post office (and later the city) was originally named Holland's Grove in 1833 before being renamed in honor of the first U.S. president, George Washington, in 1837.

In the 1920s, a man named George Heyl put Washington on the map as the home of the famous Heyl Pony Farm. Some of the original barns still exist on North Main Street. The Heyl Pony Farm supplied Shetland ponies to buyers around the world; George Heyl also raised pure bred poultry. When Heyl died suddenly in 1932, it was recorded as one of the largest funerals ever held in Washington.

Another local site of interest is the "old canning factory", which is now occupied by American Allied Railway Equipment Company Inc. In 1943, the canning factory (which after the war was run by the Libby's company) had a shortage of workers, and the government needed K rations and canned goods to feed the troops. So 50 captured German soldiers from the prisoner of war camp known as Camp Ellis in Fulton County were brought in. The Washington sub-camp was first commanded by Colonel John S. Sullivan, and later by Captain T. A. Cox. The POWs were brought in on the old rail line that ran down Wood Street (the foundation of a sentry tower can be seen just northeast of the intersection of Wood and Jefferson near the entrance to the bike trail). They were trucked from the camp to various local farms to help with the pumpkin harvest. The prisoners were allowed no visitors, nor could residents speak to the prisoners. An exception was made for local ministers, such as Pastor Kammeyer from St. Mark's Lutheran who spoke fluent German and ministered to the POWs spiritual needs.

A new community center, named Five Points Washington, opened in October 2007. The facility houses the Washington Public Library, a performing arts center, swimming pools, fitness center, and banquet center.

2013 tornado
An EF4 tornado, part of the tornado outbreak of November 17, 2013, entered Washington from the southwest in East Peoria. Three people were killed, one during the storm and two others later from injuries, including a United States Army veteran. The tornado then destroyed the Georgetown Common apartment complex, including ripping second floors off most of the 17 apartment buildings. Hundreds of homes were destroyed as the tornado moved through town before finally exiting on the north side.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Washington has a total area of 8.182 sqmi, of which 8.17 sqmi (or 99.85%) is land and 0.012 sqmi (or 0.15%) is water.

Climate
Washington has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa), with cold, snowy winters, and hot, humid summers. Monthly daily mean temperatures range from 22.5 °F (−5.3 °C) to 75.2 °F (24.0 °C). Snowfall is common in the winter, averaging 26.3 inches (67 cm), but this figure varies considerably for different years. Precipitation, averaging at 36 inches (914 mm), peaks in the spring and summer, and is the least in winter. Extremes have ranged from −27 °F (−33 °C) in January 1884 to 113 °F (45 °C) in July 1936.

Transportation
CityLink provides bus service on Route 8 connecting Washington to downtown Peoria, East Peoria and other destinations.

U.S. Route 24 runs east–west outside of Washington. Business U.S. 24 runs through the downtown square of Washington.

Government
Washington uses a council–manager form of government with an appointed city administrator, acting as the chief administrative officer and managing day-to-day operations, and an elected mayor. As of April 2024, the current city administrator is Jim Snider and the current mayor is Gary W. Manier.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 10,841 people, 4,189 households, and 3,091 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,450.0 PD/sqmi. There were 4,403 housing units at an average density of 588.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 98.36% White, 0.26% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.26% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.67% of the population.

There were 4,189 households, out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.8% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $71,702, and the median income for a family was $61,184. Males had a median income of $64,388 versus $43,460 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,231. About 2.8% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.

Employment
, 66.8% of people aged 16 and over were employed in the civilian labor force, 2.8% were "unemployed" in the civilian work force, 0.1% were in the armed forces, and 30.3% were not in the labor force. Average travel time to work for Washington residents was 21.5 min.

The Washington Chamber of Commerce lists the following information about employers:

 * Employment by occupation category

 * Employers - Manufacturers and distributor

 * Employers - Retailers

 * Employers - Services and institutions

Education
District 308 is Washington Community High School and has 1359 students in attendance as of August 2017. District 308 contains three elementary public school districts: District 50 (John L. Hensey and Beverly Manor), 51 (Central), and 52 (which consists of Lincoln Grade and Washington Middle school), as well as St. Patrick's School, which is private and Catholic. Tazewell County has a joint special education service, the Tazewell-Mason Counties Special Education Association (TMCSEA).
 * Beverly Manor Middle School (District 50)
 * Central Primary School (District 51)
 * Central Intermediate School (District 51)
 * John L. Hensey Elementary School (District 50)
 * Lincoln Grade School (District 52)
 * Washington Middle School (District 52)
 * Washington Community High School District 308
 * St. Patrick School (Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria)

Annual events

 * 9-11 Memorial Walk
 * Good Neighbor Days, previously called the Cherry Festival
 * Memorial Day Parade
 * Take Pride in Washington Day
 * Veterans Day Parade
 * Washington Fine Arts Festival

Notable people

 * Mark Dennis, offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals and the Carolina Panthers; alumnus of Washington High School; member of the Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame
 * Doug Lee, shooting guard and small forward with the Houston Rockets, New Jersey Nets, and Sacramento Kings; grew up in Washington; member of the IBCA and Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame
 * Alec Peters, basketball player, second-round selection in 2017 NBA draft; born in Washington
 * Fred Taral, Hall of Fame jockey and trainer, raised in Washington until he was 14.
 * Colton Underwood, former NFL player and star of ABC's The Bachelor, attended Washington Community High School

title: Washington, Illinois


text:
Alto Pass, Illinois

Alto Pass is a village in Union County, Illinois, United States. The population was 342 at the 2020 census, a decrease from 391 in 2010. The Bald Knob Cross and Bald Knob Wilderness are nearby. Alto Pass lies roughly 5.1 miles to the northwest of downtown Cobden, Illinois. Illinois Route 127 runs just west of the village's downtown area.

History
Alto Pass was originally called Quetil, and under the latter name was laid out in 1875 when the railroad was extended to that point.

Geography
Alto Pass is located at 37.56972°N, -89.31889°W (37.569758, -89.318873).

According to the 2020 census, Alto Pass has a total area of 2.16 sqmi, of which 2.13 sqmi (or 98.61%) is land and 0.03 sqmi (or 1.39%) is water.

Bald Knob Cross is located approximately five miles southwest of the village.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 388 people, 159 households, and 111 families residing in the village. The population density was 180.5 PD/sqmi. There were 168 housing units at an average density of 78.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 87.11% White, 0.77% Native American, 10.57% from other races, and 1.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.21% of the population.

There were 159 households, out of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 22.4% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.8 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $33,500, and the median income for a family was $36,406. Males had a median income of $25,583 versus $19,000 for females. The per capita income for the village was $17,288. About 12.0% of families and 15.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.7% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

title: Alto Pass, Illinois


text:
Anna, Illinois

Anna is the largest town and retail trade center in Union County, Illinois, United States. Located in Southern Illinois, its population was 4,303 at the 2020 United States Census, a decline from 5,135 in 2000. It is known for being tied to its close neighbor Jonesboro, together known as Anna-Jonesboro, and of which the main public high school for the two towns is named. Anna is known for the Choate Mental Health and Development Center, a state facility that opened in 1869.

History
Anna was platted on March 3, 1854, after the new Illinois Central Railroad established a station there. It was founded by Winstead Davie and named after Anna Davie, his wife. It was then incorporated on February 16, 1865. The coming of the railroad can be credited for prompting the founding of the City of Anna, although, from the time of the George Rogers Clark expedition into Southern Illinois country, emigrants recognized its agricultural possibilities. Centrally located in Anna Precinct of Union County, Anna was established by ordinance following the election of Trustees in 1855, although the plot was recorded in the county records on March 3, 1854. The area's elevation and fertile soil have made fruit farming—particularly the growth of grapes for winemaking—one of the area's principal businesses. For the purpose of farming, fruit growing, gardening, and dairying, the lands in and around Anna are not surpassed in Southern Illinois. The precinct in which Anna lies is situated on the divide between the waters of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and is well drained by the Cache, Cypress, and Big Creeks. Many cool springs of water aid materially in cattle farming in this area. In 1859, brothers Cornwall and Wallace Kirkpatrick started Anna Pottery in Anna. Their work became well-known and later, collectors' items; one of their most descriptive pieces was a pig from which wine could be consumed. The business ran until 1900, according to an exhibit at the Union County Historical Society Museum in Cobden.

During the American Civil War, Camp Anna in 1862 was the mustering and training location for some Illinois Infantry regiments, including the 81st, 109th, and 110th. There have been various commemorations ever since, including: 2013 and 2022.

Sentiments in Union County for the north and south were clearly divided during the war. Contemporary newspapers were blatantly political. The Anna Democrat continued publication, while the Jonesboro Gazette was denied its constitutional right to freedom of the press from 15 May 1863 until it was allowed to resume publication on 5 March 1864. The newspapers were consolidated to form The Gazette-Democrat on 26 October 1939.

Anna is home to the site of the Union County Fair, which started in 1880 and continues today.

In 1909, town residents attempted to drive out the black families who lived in Anna, after the lynching of William “Froggie” James in the nearby town of Cairo, Illinois for the alleged rape and murder of Anna resident Anna Pelley. Anna was historically a sundown town, in which African Americans were excluded from living in the town's limits. Though the town was named after Anna Davie, the wife of the town's founder, some outsiders believed that the town's name was an acronym for "Ain't No Niggers Allowed". The town has become infamous for it by its portrayal in literature and film. The phrase is still well-known, with few non-white residents owing in part to its historical reputation. Signs using a pejorative for Black people warning them not to let the sun go down on you in Anna persisted on highway 127 until the 1970s.

The Stinson Memorial Library is a public library located at 409 South Main Street in Anna, Illinois. The library was designed by Walter Burley Griffin, an understudy to Frank Lloyd Wright, in 1913 and constructed in 1913–14. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 9, 1978.

Lewis Bakeries, the makers of Bunny Bread, was founded in 1925. Lewis started the company with a $300 loan against his mother's house, and by 1987, the company was reportedly earning $80 million in annual sales. Founder Jack Lewis died in September 2001 at the age of 91. Bunny Bread itself was created in 1947, according to the Bunny Bread website.

Geography
Anna is located at 37.46111°N, -89.23889°W.

According to the 2010 census, Anna has a total area of 3.519 sqmi, of which 3.5 sqmi (or 99.46%) is land and 0.019 sqmi (or 0.54%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 4,442 people, 1,893 households and 1,097 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,269.1 people per square mile. There were 2,123 housing units at an average density of 606.6 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 95.7% White, 1.1% African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaskan Native, 0.4% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.2% from other races, and .9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people (of any race) were 2.9% of the population.

There were 1,893 households, out of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present and 42.0% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.7% aged 19 and younger, 7.0% from 20 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 23.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $39,602, the median income for a family was $44,420. The incomes of 20.2% of the population were below the poverty level.

Education
Public schools in Anna include Anna Jr. High School, Davie School, and the Lincoln School, all part of Anna District #37, and the Anna-Jonesboro Community High School District #81.

Notable people

 * James E. Bonner, U.S. Army major general and commanding general of Fort Leonard Wood
 * Delos Brown, pinch hitter for the Chicago White Sox, born in Anna
 * Kenneth Buzbee, politician
 * Clyde L. Choate, politician and soldier
 * Townsend F. Dodd, aviator
 * George M.C. Fisher, former CEO of Motorola and Kodak
 * Frank E. Midkiff, High Commissioner of the Trust Territory of the Pacific, born in Anna
 * King Neptune, famous war bond-raising pig
 * Frank Willard, cartoonist

title: Anna, Illinois


text:
Cobden, Illinois

Cobden is a village in Union County, Illinois, United States, within the Southern Illinois region informally known as "Little Egypt.” The population as of the 2020 census is 1,018, a decline of about 12% since the 2010 census. Cobden is regionally known for the mascot of its public school district, Cobden Unit School District #17, called the "Appleknockers,” which has been voted as one of the most unique high school mascots in the country by numerous publications. The area around Cobden is widely known for its many wineries and orchards, most notably Flamm Orchards, which is just north of town, and Rendleman Orchard in nearby Alto Pass, Illinois.

History
The village is named after British politician Richard Cobden, who visited the town in 1859. An early variant name was "South Pass". Cobden began as an agricultural town and developed around the tracks of a route owned by the Illinois Central Railroad (now owned by Canadian National Railway), as well as being along a main highway, U.S. Highway 51, running through the region.

Geography
Cobden is located at 37.53389°N, -89.25528°W (37.533949, -89.255409). Cobden lies 13.7 miles south of Carbondale, Illinois and just north of the towns of Anna, Illinois and Jonesboro, Illinois, along Old U.S Highway 51, which runs straight through town. Nearby Alto Pass, Illinois lies 5.1 miles to the northwest.

According to the 2010 census, Cobden has a total area of 1.229 sqmi, of which 1.22 sqmi (or 99.27%) is land and 0.009 sqmi (or 0.73%) is water.

Cobden is located near the crest of the Shawnee Hills. It is in "Cobden Col", a valley cut into rock by water near the summit of this ancient mountain range. Approximately 100,000 years ago, the Illinoian ice sheet covered almost all of Illinois. As it pushed south, the ice sheet climbed the Shawnee Mountains. The height of the ice sheet was much greater than that of the mountains. It stopped before it reached their summits. As it melted, a lake formed between the mountains and the glacier. Cobden Col was the outlet of this lake.

Mascot
Cobden's claim to fame is its unique mascot, an Appleknocker, or a man with freckles wearing a straw hat and chewing on a piece of straw. This nickname originated when the high school first began to compete in athletics. It did not yet have a mascot, so other schools made up this derogatory term to insult the new school because of their large industry in peach and apple orchards. However, when Cobden High School played for the Illinois High School Boys Basketball Championshipin 1964, this name was cemented in the town's history and became part of its cultural identity, even though it lost to Pekin High School 50-45.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,116 people, 421 households, and 276 families residing in the village. The population density was 908.6 PD/sqmi. There were 457 housing units at an average density of 372.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 48.8% White, 1.43% African American, 0.63% Native American, 5.73% from other races, and 1.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 51.3% of the population.

There were 421 households, out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-traditional families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $26,364, and the median income for a family was $32,500. Males had a median income of $25,938 versus $19,423 for females. The per capita income for the village was $13,978. About 13.7% of families and 22.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.5% of those under age 18 and 14.7% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * Mary Tracy Earle (1864-1955), author
 * Thomas Oscar Freeman (1947-1982), murderer and murder victim

title: Cobden, Illinois


text:
Dongola, Illinois

Dongola is a village in Union County, Illinois, United States. The population was 726 at the 2010 census.

History
Dongola was laid out in 1857 as a stop along the Illinois Central Railroad. A post office known as "Unionville" had been established in 1855, but the name was changed to "Dongola," after Dongola, Sudan.

Geography
Dongola is located at 37.36111°N, -89.16444°W (37.361243, -89.164574). The village is situated north of Cairo at the intersection of Old U.S. Highway 51 (signed as Front Street in Dongola) and Interstate 57. The point at which Union, Pulaski, and Alexander counties meet is located just to the southwest. Dongola Lake, created by a small dam along Little Creek, lies to the west of Dongola.

According to the 2010 census, Dongola has a total area of 1.147 sqmi, of which 1.09 sqmi (or 95.03%) is land and 0.057 sqmi (or 4.97%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 806 people, 330 households, and 222 families residing in the village. The population density was 728.8 PD/sqmi. There were 354 housing units at an average density of 320.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 95.78% White, 0.12% African American, 0.87% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.12% from other races, and 2.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.12% of the population.

There were 330 households, out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 27.5% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.4 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $24,539, and the median income for a family was $32,115. Males had a median income of $30,234 versus $18,864 for females. The per capita income for the village was $11,917. About 15.2% of families and 21.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.1% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.

title: Dongola, Illinois


text:
Jonesboro, Illinois

Jonesboro is a city in Union County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,821 at the 2010 census, a decline from 1,853 in 2000. It is the county seat of Union County. The city is known for being tied to its close neighbor Anna, together known as Anna-Jonesboro.

History
Jonesboro was named for Doctor Jones, a pioneer settler. It was the location of the third of the Lincoln-Douglas debates, on September 15, 1858. The Trail of Tears State Forest is nearby.

Geography
Jonesboro is located at 37.45111°N, -89.26861°W (37.451126, -89.268566).

According to the 2010 census, Jonesboro has a total area of 2.706 sqmi, of which 2.7 sqmi (or 99.78%) is land and 0.006 sqmi (or 0.22%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,853 people, 740 households, and 489 families residing in the city. The population density was 968.0 PD/sqmi. There were 792 housing units at an average density of 413.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 96.87% White, 0.65% African American, 0.59% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.76% from other races, and 0.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.19% of the population.

There were 740 households, out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,441, and the median income for a family was $40,066. Males had a median income of $31,691 versus $24,464 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,372. About 12.5% of families and 17.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.9% of those under age 18 and 18.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The community is served by Jonesboro Elementary School District, which operates Jonesboro Elementary School (JES), and by Anna-Jonesboro Community High School in Anna.

title: Jonesboro, Illinois


text:
Mill Creek, Illinois

Mill Creek is a village in Union County, Illinois, United States. The population was 59 at the 2020 census.

Geography
The community is located on the west side of the Mill Creek floodplain just north of the Union-Alexander county line. Illinois Route 127 passes through the town connecting to Jonesboro approximately seven miles to the north and Cairo about 24 miles to the south.

According to the 2010 census, Mill Creek has a total area of 0.386 sqmi, of which 0.38 sqmi (or 98.45%) is land and 0.006 sqmi (or 1.55%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 76 people, 29 households, and 18 families residing in the village. The population density was 207.7 PD/sqmi. There were 31 housing units at an average density of 84.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 100.00% White.

There were 29 households, out of which 44.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.2% were married couples living together, 3.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.26.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 31.6% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 39.5% from 25 to 44, 14.5% from 45 to 64, and 9.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 117.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 126.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $16,563, and the median income for a family was $25,417. Males had a median income of $21,875 versus $15,000 for females. The per capita income for the village was $8,317. There were 36.8% of families and 36.9% of the population living below the poverty line, including 33.3% of under eighteens and 50.0% of those over 64.

title: Mill Creek, Illinois


text:
Alvin, Illinois

Alvin is a village in South Ross Township, Vermilion County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the Danville, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 316 at the 2000 census. The U.S. Post Office uses the name Alvin, however the village is also known by the alternate spelling Alvan (for example, by the U.S. Census Bureau).

History
A settlement was founded in 1872 about a mile south of present-day Alvan, along the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad, and was called Gilbert in honor of the founder, Alvan Gilbert. In 1875, the new Havana, Rantoul and Eastern Railroad (which became the Illinois Central Railroad) crossed the C&EI north of Gilbert, and the town of Alvan was founded at the intersection. Tradition says that the town's name became Alvin (with an "i" instead of an "a") because the post office misspelled it and refused to correct the error.

On March 16, 1942, a tornado struck Alvan and caused much destruction, killing six people. A marker in the town commemorates the tragic event and reads as follows: Alvin Tornado

Monday, March 16, 1942

11:40 AM

Killed

Billy Smith - Henry O'Farrell

Ruth Viles - George Johnson

Odessa Scott - Goldie Hoover

Donated by

Mel Schriefer

2004

A.E. Hoskins

Geography
Alvan is located on County Road 3 approximately 3.6 miles north of Bismarck and 12 miles north of Danville. The North Fork of the Vermilion River flows past the west side of the community.

According to the 2010 census, Alvin has a total area of 0.79 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 316 people, 106 households, and 85 families residing in the village. The population density was 397.2 PD/sqmi. There were 115 housing units at an average density of 144.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 97.78% White, 1.58% Native American, 0.32% Asian, and 0.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.63% of the population.

There were 106 households, out of which 49.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.8% were non-families. 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.35.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 34.5% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $36,000, and the median income for a family was $38,333. Males had a median income of $30,278 versus $18,194 for females. The per capita income for the village was $13,773. About 7.0% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 31.6% of those age 65 or over.

title: Alvin, Illinois


text:
Belgium, Illinois

Belgium is a village in Vermilion County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the Danville, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 404 at the 2010 census.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, Belgium has a total area of 0.43 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 466 people, 185 households, and 113 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,101.2 PD/sqmi. There were 202 housing units at an average density of 477.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 98.50% White, 0.21% Native American, 0.86% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.36% of the population.

There were 185 households, out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.4% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 28.8% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.4 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $32,500, and the median income for a family was $35,357. Males had a median income of $30,096 versus $22,708 for females. The per capita income for the village was $16,038. About 13.0% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 21.2% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation
Danville Mass Transit provides bus service on Route 9 connecting Belgium to downtown Danville and other destinations.

title: Belgium, Illinois