text:
Pistakee Highlands, Illinois

Pistakee Highlands is a census-designated place (CDP) in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. It consists primarily of an unincorporated area of McHenry County adjoining Pistakee Bay, within the McHenry post office, and is located just northeast of Johnsburg. Per the 2020 census, the population was 3,237.

Geography
Pistakee Highlands is located at 42.40111°N, -88.21083°W (42.401023, -88.210738).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.8 sqmi, of which, 1.4 sqmi is land and 0.3 sqmi (18.64%) is water.

2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,812 people, 1,342 households, and 1,041 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,653.0 PD/sqmi. There were 1,400 housing units at an average density of 974.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 97.98% White, 0.13% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.68% from other races, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.31% of the population.

There were 1,342 households, out of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.3% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.4% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 28.9% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.8 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $54,943, and the median income for a family was $62,868. Males had a median income of $42,750 versus $30,504 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $21,852. About 3.5% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

title: Pistakee Highlands, Illinois


text:
Prairie Grove, Illinois

Prairie Grove is a village in McHenry County, Illinois, United States, first incorporated in 1973. Per the 2020 census, the population was 1,963.

History
Though Prairie Grove had been inhabited by settlers since the early 19th century in an area known as Barreville, the Village of Prairie Grove was incorporated in 1973. Since 2004, Prairie Grove has been a home rule community.

Education
Prairie Grove is served by Prairie Grove School District 46 and Crystal Lake Community Consolidated School District 47, both of which are for students through 8th grade, and Community High School District 155, specifically Prairie Ridge High School, for students in high school.

Geography
Prairie Grove is located at 42.27694°N, -88.26944°W (42.2768346, -88.2693750). According to the 2010 census, Prairie Grove has a total area of 5.714 sqmi, of which 5.71 sqmi (or 99.93%) is land and 0.004 sqmi (or 0.07%) is water.

2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, there were 960 people, 303 households, and 262 families residing in the village. The population density was 207.2 PD/sqmi. There were 308 housing units at an average density of 66.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 96.98% White, 0.62% African American, 0.21% Native American, 1.04% Asian, 0.42% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.25% of the population.

There are households, out of which 46.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 80.5% were married couples living together, 3.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.5% were non-families. 7.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.17 and the average family size was 3.37.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 31.0% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 6.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.4 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $93,361, and the median income for a family was $102,087. Males had a median income of $70,417 versus $30,313 for females. The per capita income for the village was $36,234. None of the families and 1.3% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Transportation
Pace provides bus service on Route 806 connecting Prairie Grove to Fox Lake, Crystal Lake and other destinations.

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

title: Prairie Grove, Illinois


text:
Richmond, Illinois

Richmond is a village in McHenry County, Illinois, United States, 46 miles northwest of Chicago. It is a commuter village within the Chicago metropolitan area. The population was 2,089 at the 2020 census.

History
Carpenter William A. McConnell was Richmond's first settler, arriving in 1837 and erecting the village's first building, a log structure. Eight other settlers arrived in 1838 and growth progressed rapidly after that point. The first school was built on McConnell's farm in 1841 and in 1844 the village was finally platted. The village was named after Richmond, Vermont, the native home of a first settler. McConnell and Dr. R.R. Stone established a cheese factory in Richmond, and a creamery, other cheese factories, a box factory, a wagon works and a pickle factory followed.

Most of Richmond's original buildings were built from the mid-1840s through the 1860s and consisted of Greek Revival rural farmhouse and Richmond's commercial district. Houses within the village were built mostly in the Greek Revival style as well with later prominent homes cast in the Italianate or Second Empire styles. The village of Richmond was officially incorporated in 1872.

On Christmas Eve 1902 a devastating fire swept through most of Richmond's commercial district destroying 20 buildings. The fire was a setback for Richmond's economic growth as most of the buildings were either uninsured or underinsured. Many business owners did not bother to rebuild at all following the fire. Another building spurt did occur in Richmond between 1903 and 1905.

Richmond was the site for the Chicago Super and Sprint Weekend event, June 11–12, 2017, part of the Reebok Spartan Race.

Geography
Richmond is located at 42.47194°N, -88.3075°W (42.471868, -88.307431).

According to the 2010 census, Richmond has a total area of 4.22 sqmi, all land.

Major streets

 * [[Image:US 12.svg|20px]] Main Street
 * [[Image:Illinois 173.svg|20px]] Kenosha Street
 * Mill Street
 * Broadway Street
 * George Street

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,901 people, 415 households, and 285 families residing in the village. The population density was 802.2 PD/sqmi. There were 441 housing units at an average density of 324.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 97.89% White, 0.27% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.92% from other races, and 0.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.03% of the population.

There were 415 households, out of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.3 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $52,361, and the median income for a family was $60,417. Males had a median income of $41,136 versus $27,344 for females. The per capita income for the village was $22,332. About 2.6% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.

title: Richmond, Illinois


text:
Ringwood, Illinois

Ringwood is a northwest suburban village in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. It is a commuter village, part of the Chicago metropolitan area. The population was 844 at the 2020 census.

Settlement
Ringwood was settled in 1837 by Dr. Luke Hale and Wm. H. Beach, both native to Vermont. The original settlement was supposedly surrounded by a ring of trees, hence the name "Ringwood".

Development
The Ringwood post office was established in 1845 to provide post office boxes for local industrial firms and residents located on the far northern edge of McHenry. The small village was platted in 1854, allowing the installation of roads, infrastructure, public amenities and allowing residents to legally own plots of land for agricultural use, and the construction of homes and businesses. In an attempt to maintain its small-town environment, Ringwood was incorporated as a Village on November 15, 1994. By 2018, the Village of Ringwood had two paid staff, plus contracted services including building inspection, and an unsalaried Board of Trustees.

Geography
Ringwood is located in northeastern McHenry County at 42.395°N, -88.30306°W (42.395084, -88.303030). It is bordered by the larger village of Johnsburg to the southeast. The village of Wonder Lake is to the southwest.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Ringwood has a total area of 3.86 sqmi, all land.

Major streets

 * [[Image:Illinois 31.svg|20px]] Richmond Road passes just northeast of the center of Ringwood, leading north 6 mi to Richmond and southeast 4 mi to McHenry.
 * Barnard Mill Road runs northwest-southeast through the center of Ringwood.
 * Ringwood Road, running southwest-northeast, crosses Barnard Mill Road in the village center.

Public and rail transportation
As of October 2018, the closest public transportation to Ringwood is a Pace bus route that runs through Johnsburg, between the nearby municipalities of Crystal Lake, McHenry, and Fox Lake. The closest rail transit is the McHenry commuter rail station, one of the termini of Metra's Union Pacific/Northwest Line. Until 1980, the commuter rail service also served a Ringwood station and continued north to the Village of Richmond, Illinois. A remaining freight track exists between Ringwood's Dow Chemical plant at Barnard Mill Road and McHenry station.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 836 people. The population density was 216.6 PD/sqmi. There were 297 housing units at an average density of 76.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 96.2% White, 0.8% African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3% of the population.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 26.9% (225) under the age of 18, 73.0% (611) over the age of 18, 3.2% (27) from 20 to 24, 5.5% (46) from 25 to 34, 27.6% (231) from 35 to 49, 23.3% (195) from 50 to 64, and 10.2% (85) were aged 65 or more. The median age was 42.4 years of age. 50.1% (419) were male, and 49.9 (417) were female.

There were 285 households, out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.3% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 17.2% were non-families. 13.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.22. The median income for a household in the village was $90,250, and the median income for a family was $91,389. Males had a median income of $91,250 versus $37,500 for females. The per capita income for the village was $35,151. About 9.4% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.0% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

title: Ringwood, Illinois


text:
Spring Grove, Illinois

Spring Grove is a village in McHenry County. Portions of unincorporated Lake County, Illinois also utilize Spring Grove postal addresses. It is a commuter village within the Chicago metropolitan area. Per the 2020 census, the population was 5,487. It is also home to Chain O'Lakes State Park.

The current village president is Mark Eisenberg.

The first tower grain silo was built in Spring Grove in 1873.

Geography
Spring Grove is located at 42.45103°N, -88.24259°W (42.451031, -88.242589).

According to the 2010 census, Spring Grove has a total area of 8.711 sqmi, of which 8.68 sqmi (or 99.64%) is land and 0.031 sqmi (or 0.36%) is water.

Major streets

 * S. Hidden Trail
 * [[Image:Illinois 173.svg|20px]] Kenosha Street
 * [[Image:US 12.svg|20px]] Rand Road
 * Main Street Road
 * Winn Road
 * Wilmot Road
 * Blivin Street/Richardson Road
 * English Prairie Road
 * Solon Road
 * Lakeview Road
 * Richardson Road

2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,880 people, 1,166 households, and 1,045 families residing in the village. The population density was 624.7 PD/sqmi. There were 1,205 housing units at an average density of 194.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 97.37% White, 0.13% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.90% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.36% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.78% of the population.

There were 1,166 households, out of which 54.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 84.5% were married couples living together, 3.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 10.3% were non-families. 7.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.33 and the average family size was 3.52.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 35.3% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 5.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $80,542, and the median income for a family was $82,996. Males had a median income of $60,933 versus $33,882 for females. The per capita income for the village was $25,506. About 1.7% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.3% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * Brooke Barrettsmith, contestant on the reality television show American Idol during its fifth season in 2006
 * Nick Etten, first baseman for the Philadelphia Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees
 * David Kagan, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bismarck, North Dakota; grew up in Spring Grove.
 * Bobby Klaus, infielder for the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets; born in Spring Grove.
 * Jen Lada, sportscaster for ESPN

title: Spring Grove, Illinois


text:
Trout Valley, Illinois

Trout Valley is a village in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. It was incorporated as a village on March 19, 1996. Per the 2020 census, the population was 515.

History
Maxon Community Developers of Barrington, Illinois, founders and developers of nearby Streamwood, Barrington Woods, Brigadoon, and later Green Valley, Arizona purchased the Curtiss Candy Farms in 1952 from Otto Schnering, founder of the Curtiss Candy Company. The brothers Norm and Don Maxon promptly renamed it Trout Valley after Norman's passion for fly fishing.

The estate was once the private estate of John D. Hertz of Hertz Car Rentals, modeled during the gilded age after English estates complete with riding stables, polo grounds, trout fishing and pheasant hunting. Norman Maxon, an avid outdoorsman, reestablished the trout hatchery and approached National Homes of Lafayette, Indiana to develop Trout Valley as a national showcase for their modular homes. By 1956, Trout Valley won the National Home development of the year and the concept of a homeowners association was conceived by C.E.O. Don Maxon as a way to maintain the integrity of Trout Valley.

Trout Valley was once part of unincorporated McHenry County until it became its own village. The residents attend schools in the Cary School District, and the village itself does not have any of its own schools, fire department, or police department. The land was once a farm owned by John D. Hertz and still contains residual structures from that period of time.

At the west side of the village, a magnificent arched set of iron gates with stone pillars mark the entrance at Cary-Algonquin Road. These were probably erected by Mr. Hertz in the 1920s. In 2006, this entrance was designated as a local landmark by the McHenry County Historic Preservation Commission. This protects and preserves the gates by an ordinance enacted by the McHenry County Board.

The first mayor of Trout Valley was Steve Barrett.

Geography
Trout Valley is located at 42.19917°N, -88.25333°W (42.199265, -88.253357).

According to the 2010 census, Trout Valley has a total area of 0.432 sqmi, of which 0.43 sqmi (or 99.54%) is land and 0.002 sqmi (or 0.46%) is water. There are various small ponds with streams that connect them. The village rests against the Fox River.

2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, there were 599 people, 197 households, and 176 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,399.7 PD/sqmi. There were 200 housing units at an average density of 467.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 94.66% White, 0.67% African American, 1.00% Asian, 1.17% from other races, and 2.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.17% of the population.

There were 197 households, out of which 40.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 85.3% were married couples living together, 3.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 10.2% were non-families. 6.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 30.9% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 30.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $99,297, and the median income for a family was $102,603. Males had a median income of $91,504 versus $37,344 for females. The per capita income for the village was $58,013. About 3.3% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.

title: Trout Valley, Illinois


text:
Union, Illinois

Union is a village in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 551 at the 2020 census.

History
A post office called Union has been in operation since 1852. The village was named for the federal union of the United States.

Geography
Union is located in southwestern McHenry County at 42.23528°N, -88.5425°W (42.235237, -88.542379). It is 3.5 mi southeast of Marengo, 13 mi west of Crystal Lake, and 22 mi northwest of Elgin.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Union has a total area of 0.84 sqmi, all land. The village drains to the north toward the South Branch of the Kishwaukee River, part of the Rock River watershed.

2000 census
At the 2000 census there were 576 people, 204 households, and 158 families living in the village. The population density was 950.4 PD/sqmi. There were 208 housing units at an average density of 343.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 98.09% White, 0.35% Native American, 0.87% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.99%.

Of the 204 households 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.7% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were non-families. 15.7% of households were one person and 6.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.15.

The age distribution was 28.0% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 34.2% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males.

The median household income was $56,528 and the median family income was $57,500. Males had a median income of $38,393 versus $25,536 for females. The per capita income for the village was $21,218. About 5.8% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 16.7% of those age 65 or over.

Points of interest
Union was the site of the world's first fully automatic electrical substation, on the current site of the water tower just east of Main Street.

Union is home to the Illinois Railway Museum and the McHenry County Historical Society. It was formerly the home of Donley's Wild West Town amusement park, now closed.

Notable person

 * Red Kelly, right fielder for the Chicago White Sox; born in Union

Media
The Marengo-Union Times is the newspaper of record in Union; it has a circulation of 6,300 and is mailed to every home and business in the greater Marengo and Union area. For cable television, Union is served by Charter Communications instead of Comcast, like the rest of the Chicago Metropolitan Area.

title: Union, Illinois


text:
Woodstock, Illinois

Woodstock is a city in (and the county seat of) McHenry County, Illinois, United States. It is located 37 miles northwest of Chicago, making it one of the city's outer-most suburbs. Per the 2020 census, the population was 25,630. The city's historic downtown district and turn-of-the-century town square is anchored by the landmark Woodstock Opera House and the Old McHenry County Courthouse. In 2007 Woodstock was named one of the nation's Dozen Distinctive Destinations by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Early days, Centerville
Woodstock was originally known as Centerville because of its location at the geographic center of McHenry County. It was chosen as the county seat on September 4, 1843. Early settler Alvin Judd developed a plat for the town, which incorporated a two-acre public square, near which a 2-story frame courthouse and jail were constructed the following year by George C. Dean and Daniel Blair.

In 1845, prominent resident Joel Johnson proposed that Centerville be given a more original name, and the town was renamed Woodstock after Johnson's hometown of Woodstock, Vermont. The town was still listed as "Center" on the 1850 Federal Census. In 1852, Woodstock was incorporated as a village with Judd as president. In response to a growing population following the end of the Civil War, Woodstock was incorporated as a city in 1873.

John S. Wheat was elected as Woodstock's first mayor. A vital artery for the growing town was the train line to and from Chicago, which allowed for a substantial industrial presence early in the town's history.

Eugene V. Debs' prison stay

In 1895, Eugene V. Debs served a short federal prison sentence in the Woodstock Jail following the 1894 Pullman labor strike in Chicago. Debs, the former president of the American Railway Union, was held in Woodstock instead of Chicago because federal officials feared that he would be surrounded with too many sympathizers in a Chicago prison and therefore could have still incited further unrest. Debs was instead assigned to a cell in the newly constructed Woodstock Jail, which occupied the lowest floor of the Woodstock Courthouse on the town square.

During his time in the jail, Debs received several influential socialist visitors and encountered the works of Karl Marx. He is said to have considered the Woodstock Jail one of the "greatest school[s]," and passed his time reading and writing many letters from his cell. By the time he was released in November 1895 (to great fanfare and before crowds of onlookers assembled in the Woodstock Square), Debs had become a socialist and a national celebrity. He later ran for the United States Presidency five times between 1900 and 1920 as the candidate for the newly formed Social Democratic Party.

"Typewriter City"
During the early part of the 20th century, Woodstock had become "Typewriter City" and was home to factories of both the Emerson Typewriter Company and the Oliver Typewriter Company. Woodstock workers had built more than half the world's typewriters by 1922. The companies were very much a part of civic life in Woodstock during this time. Both factories had active social clubs, baseball teams that competed against one another, and Emerson had a well-regarded band that played at public events.

In 1919, Emerson Typewriter became the Woodstock Typewriter Company. The city grew and flourished with increasing demand for Woodstock typewriters through and after World War II. Initially the company sold typewriters for use in the war effort both domestically and abroad, but after the war's end returning servicemen, now familiar with the Woodstock brand, chose these models for their households. The factory was in use until 1970, and has since been converted into lofts.

Orson Welles and the Todd School for Boys
Woodstock had an important role in the creative development of Orson Welles. In 1926, in the midst of a chaotic upbringing, he enrolled at the Todd School for Boys in Woodstock at age 10. His five-year stay there was his only formal education, and the town and school made an impression on the young Welles. Years later, in 1960, when asked where he thought of as his hometown, he replied "I suppose it's Woodstock, Illinois, if it's anywhere. I went to school there for four years. If I try to think of a home, it's that."

At Todd School, the young Welles came under the positive influence and guidance of Roger Hill, a teacher who later became the school's headmaster. Hill provided Welles with an educational environment that supported his creativity, allowing Welles to concentrate on subjects that interested him. Welles performed and staged his first theatrical experiments and productions at Todd. He also performed at the downtown Woodstock Opera House, where the stage — the site of his American debut as a professional theatre director — is now dedicated to him.

Welles returned to Woodstock periodically after leaving school. In July 1934 at the age of 19, he coordinated the Todd Theatre Festival, a six-week summer festival at the Woodstock Opera House that featured Hilton Edwards and Micheál MacLiammóir of Dublin's Gate Theatre. His short film The Hearts of Age was shot on the Todd School campus during the festival.

Todd School for Boys closed in 1954. Several original buildings were purchased at auction and reused by Marian Central Catholic High School and Christian Life Services. Welles' former dormitory was demolished in 2010.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles, 1987
Several scenes in the 1987 film Planes, Trains, and Automobiles were shot in Woodstock, including the scene in which the protagonists' rental car is towed in front of a building, the old Courthouse. The movie brought Woodstock to the attention of location manager Bob Hudgins, who later recommended the town to Harold Ramis for the filming of Groundhog Day.

Groundhog Day, 1993
Woodstock is perhaps most famous for its role as the location for the 1993 movie Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray. Although the story is set in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the movie's producers preferred the quintessentially American, but non-specific backdrop of Woodstock Square and its surroundings. Outdoor and street scenes were filmed around the downtown and various side streets, and signs from stores and businesses are visible throughout the movie.

Many notable scenes' locations are commemorated with plaques as part of a walking tour for visitors and enthusiasts. In January 2020, several key actors, including Bill Murray, Brian Doyle-Murray and Stephen Tobolowsky returned to Woodstock to film a Groundhog Day-themed commercial for Jeep. The commercial aired during the 2020 Super Bowl.

Other
Woodstock was the basis for the fictional town of Hawkins Falls in the 1950s television soap opera Hawkins Falls, Population 6200. The city was the site of primary filming for the movie Bored Silly, which was released in 2000. In August 2018, it was reported that filming had begun in and around the Square for the 2019 HBO series Lovecraft Country from producers J. J. Abrams, Jordan Peele, Misha Green and Ben Stephenson. A map of Woodstock can be seen on the splash screen for The Jackbox Party Pack 4 game Civic Doodle where the historic square and Illinois route 47 and 120 are clearly visible.

In September 2021, a second commercial began filming in Woodstock, including the Woodstock Square and the surrounding areas, for Toyota, which began airing on television later that December.

Woodstock was also a primary filming location for the Amazon series Night Sky doubling as the fictional Farnsworth, Illinois.

Local newspaper
The Woodstock Independent is the award-winning local paper of record and is delivered weekly to subscribers. Published on Wednesdays, The Independent covers community news, events as well as local government and schools. The Independent also publishes The Torch, a feature-oriented magazine delivered free to all Woodstock residents 8 or 9 times a year.

Music
Woodstock has become an important destination for live music in McHenry County and the region with venues featuring local, national, and international artists.

A number of organizations support and promote live music in Woodstock:
 * Liquid Blues
 * Jazz on the Square
 * Off Square Music
 * Opera Woodstock
 * RIFF Productions
 * Woodstock Folk Festival
 * Woodstock City Band
 * Potts & Pans Steelband

Religion
Woodstock is home to many Protestant and Catholic churches, a Jewish congregation and The Blue Lotus Buddhist Temple since 2002.

Education
Woodstock's public schools are part of Woodstock Community Unit School District 200, which was formed in 1969. The district operates 1 early learning center (Verda Dierzen), 6 elementary schools (Dean Street, Greenwood, Mary Endres, Olson, Prairiewood and Westwood), two middle schools (Northwood and Creekside) and two high schools (Woodstock High School and Woodstock North High School). The three newest buildings, Prairiewood, Creekside and WNHS, were approved in a March 2006 referendum to address crowding in schools due to the area's growth between the mid-1990s and 2008.

Woodstock is served by private educational institutions: St. Mary Catholic grade school (K-8) is located in town. Students often continue on to Marian Central Catholic High School, also located in Woodstock.

Residents pursuing an associate degree normally do so at McHenry County College in neighboring Crystal Lake. Loyola University Chicago owns and operates a large property on Woodstock's eastern edge as its Retreat and Ecology Campus. Aurora University also operates its Woodstock Center downtown.

Top employers
According to Woodstock's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Public transit
Woodstock's railroad station is the penultimate passenger stop on Metra's Union Pacific Northwest Line, which originates from Ogilvie Transportation Center in downtown Chicago and ends in Harvard, Illinois. At Woodstock, Metra offers passengers 14 daily trains to Chicago on weekdays, with 13 returning outbound. Between 400 and 500 passengers use the train daily for travel to Chicago or other suburban communities along the line.

This direct link to the city was historically instrumental in Woodstock's growth as a city, and remains an attractive option for local commuters and residents to reach Chicago. As a result, Woodstock's use of the system is greater than that of nearly half of the Metra system's other outlying stations, many of which serve larger or geographically nearer communities.

Other public ground transportation is limited to Pace bus route 807, which connects downtown Woodstock with downtown McHenry.

Major roads
U.S. Route 14 once took drivers through the heart of downtown Woodstock, but a bypass now curves around the city's southwest border. Illinois Route 47 runs through the city in the north–south direction. Illinois Route 120's western terminus is in northwest Woodstock, and continues east past Woodstock's downtown and into rural McHenry County.

Notable people

 * Jack Allen, professional baseball infielder for the Syracuse Stars and the Cleveland Blues
 * Jessica Biel, actress and model
 * Bob Bird, Alaskan pro-life and political activist, first Distinguished Alumnus of Marian Central, graduated in 1969.
 * Cyrus Allen Black, taxidermist, decoy-maker and minor league baseball player
 * Michael J. Brown, Illinois state representative and businessman
 * Bryan Bulaga, football player, University of Iowa and Green Bay Packers
 * Rick Fletcher, illustrator and cartoonist with Chicago Tribune; best known for The Old Glory Story and Dick Tracy
 * Chester Gould, cartoonist and the creator of the Dick Tracy comic strip
 * Nikol Hasler, author, sexual educator, internet personality
 * Ann Hughes, Illinois state representative
 * Marcellus L. Joslyn, businessman
 * Dana Nafziger, football player
 * Doug Oberhelman, CEO, Caterpillar Inc.
 * Scott Sobkowiak, pitcher for the Atlanta Braves
 * Barbara Stcherbatcheff, best-selling author and economic commentator
 * Lynn D. Stewart, Illini star player from the 1960s and co-founder of the Hooters Restaurant chain
 * Johnny Stompanato, mob associate of Mickey Cohen, boyfriend of Lana Turner: killed by Turner's daughter, Cheryl Crane, in self-defense
 * Michele Weiner-Davis, marriage therapist and author
 * Orson Welles, director, writer, actor, producer, 1931 graduate of the Todd School for Boys
 * Gigi Goode, American drag queen and contestant on RuPaul's Drag Race (season 12)
 * Brad S. Gregory, Professor of History and Dorothy G. Griffin Collegiate Chair at the University of Notre Dame
 * Rich Loiselle, pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates

Geography
In the 2010 census, Woodstock has a total area of 13.55 sqmi, all land.

2000 Census
In the 2000 census, there were 20,151 people, 7,273 households, and 4,843 families in the city. The population density was 1,891.1 PD/sqmi. There were 7,599 housing units at an average density of 713.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 87.48% White, 1.06% African American, 0.23% Native American, 2.01% Asian, 7.69% from other races, and 1.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.01% of the population.

There were 7,273 households, out of which 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.4% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.30.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.9% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $47,871, and the median income for a family was $54,408. Males had a median income of $40,137 versus $27,264 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,210. About 5.3% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.

title: Woodstock, Illinois


text:
Anchor, Illinois

Anchor is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 163 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
Anchor is in eastern McLean County, south of Illinois Route 165. Bloomington, the county seat, is 28 mi to the west, and Sibley is 9 mi to the east in Ford County.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Anchor has a total area of 0.17 sqmi, all land. The village drains south toward the Mackinaw River, a west-flowing tributary of the Illinois River.

History
Anchor was laid out on April 28, 1880, by Daniel B. Stewart (1837 – 1920). Stewart was a large landowner in the area. He was born in New York and had come to Illinois in the early 1860s. With others Stewart donated $10,000 to build ten miles of the railroad. The town was created when the Clinton Bloomington and Northeastern Railroad was built. Colfax, Cropsey and Cooksville were laid out at the same time. This railroad was soon absorbed by the Illinois Central. The first trains passed through the town on July 4, 1880. The town takes its name from Anchor Township; early McLean County historians wrote that they did not know the source of the name Anchor.

The original town of Anchor was a rectangle extending on both sides of a diagonal track with no widening of the track as was commonly found at such towns. A small triangular block north of the railroad was designated as Depot Park. The depot itself was on the north side of the tracks, and the two elevators were on the south side. Most of the early commercial buildings were on the north side of Second Street, which was north of the tracks. By 1895 there was a brickyard on the southwest edge of the town and next to it was a coal shaft, but it is not clear if the shaft was ever finished. There were also a handful of stores and the Morris Hotel.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 175 people, 65 households, and 47 families residing in the village. The population density was 904.5 PD/sqmi. There were 68 housing units at an average density of 351.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 97.14% White, 0.57% Native American, and 2.29% from two or more races.

There were 65 households, out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.7% were married couples living together, 4.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 32.0% under the age of 18, 3.4% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 16.0% from 45 to 64, and 22.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $50,250, and the median income for a family was $52,813. Males had a median income of $36,607 versus $28,750 for females. The per capita income for the village was $17,642. None of the families and 1.9% of the population were living below the poverty line.

title: Anchor, Illinois


text:
Arrowsmith, Illinois

Arrowsmith is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 276 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
Arrowsmith is in eastern McLean County, 21 mi east of Bloomington, the county seat, and 15 mi west of Gibson City.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Arrowsmith has a total area of 0.20 sqmi, all land. The village drains east and west to tributaries of the Sangamon River in its upper, east-flowing course. The village is part of the Illinois River watershed.

Founding of Arrowsmith
Arrowsmith was laid out on December 7, 1871, by Charles W. Holder (1808–1887) and Owen T. Reeves (1829- ?). The founders kept their identities hidden for two years until the plat was officially recorded. Both proprietors lived in Bloomington, were experienced land dealers, and were involved in the creation of the Lafayette Bloomington and Muncie Railroad. Holder had been Jesse Fell's partner in the founding of Towanda, Illinois, was one of his partners in the development of Normal, Illinois, and the town of Holder, Illinois, would soon be named in his honor. Reeves was a Bloomington lawyer and judge who had been colonel of the short-lived 70th Illinois Infantry during the Civil War. Arrowsmith Township had voted $30,000 in bonds to support the construction of the railroad on the condition that a station be established in their township. It was at first thought that the name of the town would be Weldon, but it was soon learned that this name had been taken by a newly founded town in DeWitt County. Arrowsmith takes its name from the township in which it was located, which had been named for early settler Ezekiel Arrowsmith. Several of the first buildings in Arrowsmith were moved to the new town from Senex, located about three miles to the southwest near the edge of Old Town Timber. Taking advantage of cold weather, John Thompson had used 32 horses to skid his store from Senex to Arrowsmith in just over two hours. The Senex blacksmith shop and the post office were moved in the same year. However, most of the buildings in the new town were newly constructed, and many of the early merchants were from places other than Senex.

Original town design and development
The design of the original town was centered on a wide railroad ground, with eight blocks north of the tracks and eight blocks south of the tracks. Most of the early businesses were along Main Street north of the tracks. Both grain elevators and the early stockyards were north of the tracks, but the depot was on the south side. In 1876 the Lafayette Bloomington and Muncie Railroad was leased to the Lake Erie and Western Railroad which purchased the line in 1879, and the railroad is usually remembered under this name. Arrowsmith was incorporated as a village in April 1890. The growth of Arrowsmith was slow; in 1900 it had only 317 people.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 298 people, 108 households, and 87 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,464.4 PD/sqmi. There were 117 housing units at an average density of 575.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 98.99% White, 0.34% Native American, and 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.67% of the population.

There were 108 households, out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.4% were married couples living together, 4.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.4% were non-families. 14.8% 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 2.76 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 27.5% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $49,375, and the median income for a family was $54,375. Males had a median income of $36,667 versus $25,179 for females. The per capita income for the village was $17,261. About 4.4% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under the age of eighteen and 3.2% of those 65 or over.

title: Arrowsmith, Illinois


text:
Bellflower, Illinois

Bellflower is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 346 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
Bellflower is in southeastern McLean County, along Illinois Route 54, which leads southwest 9 mi to Farmer City and northeast 12 mi to Gibson City. Bloomington, the McLean county seat, is 30 mi to the northwest, while Champaign is 26 mi to the southeast.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Bellflower has a total area of 0.36 sqmi, all land. The village drains southeast to tributaries of Lone Tree Creek, a northeast-flowing tributary of the Sangamon River and part of the Illinois River watershed.

Students from Bellflower attend the Blue Ridge School District.

Founding
Bellflower was laid out on August 26, 1871, by George Nelson Black (March 15, 1833 – April 22, 1908) and his wife Louisa J. Black (December 22, 1840 – December 23, 1909). George was born in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and had come to Springfield, Illinois, in 1850, where he became wealthy through manufacturing, mining, and railroads. Bellflower Township had subscribed $30,000 in twenty-year bonds toward the construction of what was then called the Gilman, Clinton and Springfield Railroad. A condition of the funding was that the township would have a station on the railroad. Black purchased 100 acre of land, laid 40 acre out into town lots and then transferred the title to the railroad. When the railroad became property of the Illinois Central Railroad, town lots in Bellflower were not transferred to that railroad. The name of the town came from the name of the township and was selected by Jesse Richards, who was particularly fond of the Bellflower apple. It is perhaps the only town in Illinois named for an apple. In the 1870s it was often spelled "Belle Flower" or "Belle-Flower".

Original plan and growth
The original plan of the town consisted of two square blocks of land. Most of the western square was divided into sixteen blocks, each usually containing twelve lots, and this part of the town was split diagonally by the 100 ft path of the railroad. Unlike many towns found in the 1870s, there was no depot ground. The eastern square of land and a strip along the north edge of the western square was divided into out lots, each of which were several times the size the lots in the western square. The combination of in lots and out lots was fairly common in central Illinois and may be found, for example, at Hudson and Chenoa. The small triangle of land cut off by the railroad from the remainder of block ten became the location of the town jail. The station was located on the south side of the tracks, and the two early elevators were on railroad land. By 1895 both in lots and out lots held residences. R. E. Moreland established the first business. Bellflower quickly became a major grain shipping center serving the fertile surrounding land. By 1879 it was shipping over 350,000 bushels of grain a year. In 1900 the population was 356, nearly the same as today.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 408 people, 162 households, and 117 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,118.1 PD/sqmi. There were 171 housing units at an average density of 468.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 100.00% White.

There were 162 households, out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.6% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.2% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% 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 24.8% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $41,442, and the median income for a family was $45,625. Males had a median income of $34,375 versus $28,250 for females. The per capita income for the village was $16,200. None of the families and 0.5% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 3.8% of those over 64.

Notable people

 * Harry Cassady, outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Senators

Events
The Bellflower Country Opry, located at the Bellflower Community Center, is a monthly show which features music, skits, raffles, prizes, and a fundraiser dinner for local organizations.

title: Bellflower, Illinois


text:
Bloomington, Illinois

Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of McLean County, Illinois, United States. The 2020 census showed the city had a population of 78,680, making it the 13th-most populous city in Illinois and the fifth-most populous outside the Chicago metropolitan area. It is adjacent to the town of Normal, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington–Normal metropolitan area, which has a population of roughly 170,000. Bloomington is 135 mi southwest of Chicago and 162 mi northeast of St. Louis. Bloomington is home to Illinois Wesleyan University and the headquarters for State Farm and Country Financial.

History
The Bloomington area was at the edge of a large grove occupied by the Kickapoo people before the first Euro-American settlers arrived in the early 1820s. Springing from the settlement of Keg Grove, later called Blooming Grove, Bloomington was named as county seat on December 25, 1830, when McLean County was created.

When the County of McLean was incorporated, a county seat was established, but the legislation stated the site of Bloomington "would be located later." Gavin Quinn, one of the new county's promoters, offered to donate 60 acre of his land for the new town. His offer was accepted, and Bloomington was laid out. Its lots were sold at a well-attended and noisy auction on July 4, 1831. At this time there were few roads, but rich soils brought new farmers who began commerce by conducting their business in the county. People came from all over to trade and do business at the town's center, known today as Downtown Bloomington, including Abraham Lincoln, who worked as a lawyer in nearby Springfield. Prominent Bloomington resident Jesse W. Fell, who founded the Bloomington Pantagraph and was most prominent in local real estate, had suggested the Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1854 and played a prominent role in pushing Lincoln to run for president.

In 1900, an officer on patrol discovered a fire in a laundry across the street from the old city hall and police station. He sounded an alarm but the fire destroyed most of the downtown, especially the areas north and east of the courthouse. The burnt area was quickly rebuilt from the designs of local architects George Miller and Paul O. Moratz.

Bloomington continued to grow during the first two decades of the 20th century. Agriculture, the construction of highways and railroads, and the growth of the insurance business all influenced the growth of Bloomington and its downtown. Most notably, State Farm was founded in June 1922 by retired farmer George J. Mecherle as a mutual automobile insurance company specializing in insurance for farmers.

The 1917 Bloomington Streetcar Strike was a labor dispute starting on May 28, 1917, when Amalgamated Transit Union Local 752 called a strike for union recognition, increased pay, and a shortened workday. It ended in July when the mayor of Bloomington, E.E. Jones, mediated contract talks between the workers and company from July 6 to 9. During this, the Illinois National Guard had been stationed outside the courthouse where mediation was occurring, equipped with machine gun emplacements.

In 1997, Judy Markowitz was elected as the city's first female and Jewish mayor. During her two terms as mayor, an arena was built in downtown Bloomington and the city's performing arts center began restoration. Bloomington also approved a gay rights ordinance in 2002. In 2021, Mboka Mwilambwe was elected as the city's first black mayor.

Geography
Bloomington is located at 40°29′03″N 88°59′37″W. The city is at an elevation of 797 ft above sea level. According to the 2010 census, Bloomington has an area of 27.229 sqmi, of which 27.22 sqmi (99.97%) is land and 0.009 sqmi (0.03%) is water.

Climate
In recent years, average temperatures in Bloomington have ranged from a low of 14 °F in January to a high of 86 °F in July, although a record low of -23 °F was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 114 °F was recorded on July 15, 1936, during the 1936 North American heat wave. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.71 in in February to 4.52 in in May.

2020 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 76,610 people and 30,454 households within the city. The population density was 2,814.8 PD/sqmi. There were 34,339 housing units at an average density of 1,261.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 77.5% White, 10.1% African American, 0.3% Native American, 7.0% Asian, 1.42% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.6% of the population.

The City of Bloomington and McLean County comprise the fastest-growing metropolitan area in Illinois. The area's population has grown 28% from 1990 through 2006. The fastest growth has been in Bloomington, as the U.S. Census Bureau conducted a special census of that city in February 2006, showing a population of 74,975, a 15.7% increase in less than six years.

In 2010, there were 34,339 households, out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 20, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 45, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $58,662, and the median income for a family was $81,166. Males had a median income of $56,597 versus $39,190 for females. The per capita income for the city was $32,672. About 5.7% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.6% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Bloomington is home to State Farm Insurance, Country Financial, and Beer Nuts. The original Steak 'n Shake restaurant was opened in Normal, Bloomington's adjoining city, in 1934. It also has the largest Dairy Queen Restaurant.

Top employers
According to Bloomington's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the area's top employers are:

Bloomington is also home to a convention center at the McLean County Fairgrounds and Grossinger Motors Arena. Bloomington is the only town where Beer Nuts brand snacks are made. There are two Beer Nuts company stores in Bloomington, each offering a video tour of the Bloomington plant and history of Beer Nuts.

Retail
Eastland Mall is the main shopping center in Bloomington.

Arts and culture
Bloomington-Normal ranks competitively in Richard Florida's creativity rankings. Most noteworthy is Bloomington-Normal's creative class share of the workforce, which resulted in a No. 1 rating for Bloomington-Normal's creativity rank.

The Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts is the centerpiece of the city's Cultural District, which also includes the neighboring McLean County of Arts Center, forthcoming festival park, and creativity center for arts education. The center is also home to over twenty area performing arts ensembles. More than 400 performances and community events take place at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts each year. The Illinois Symphony Orchestra performs at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, where it gives five Masterworks concerts, two Pops concerts, and three Chamber Orchestra concerts annually.

The McLean County Arts Center is one of the oldest arts organizations in the Midwest, serving Central Illinois for over 130 years. Each year 12 art exhibitions are held, including the Holiday Treasurers exposition and sale, and the annual Amateur Competition and Exhibition which, for over 70 years, has showcased the best amateur artists in Central Illinois. The Arts Center also sponsors a number of community events, such as the Sugar Creek Arts Festival in Uptown Normal and the Spring Bloom Arts Festival in Bloomington.

The Community Players Theater, on Robinhood Lane off of Towanda Avenue, is one of the oldest community theaters completely staffed by volunteers. Opened in 1923, it celebrated its 88th season in 2011. The Castle Theatre first opened in 1916 as a 1,000-seat theater, created by the legendary theater builders Balaban & Katz, original inventors of the classic movie palace. For decades, the property served as one of the area's premier destinations. The Castle was restored to its former glory with a $1.5 million renovation. It presents live music, corporate, public and private events. The Illinois Wesleyan University School of Theatre Arts houses its talent within the Jerome Mirza Theatre at McPherson Hall. Four main stage plays are performed here annually, selected from a playbill including everything from Shakespeare to musicals. McPherson Hall, completed in 1963, is named for IWU's 10th president, Harry W. McPherson, and contains a 300-seat theater, scene shop, classrooms and other facilities. The Illinois Wesleyan University Westbrook Auditorium serves approximately 200 music majors and several hundred IWU students each year. Several musical performances of all style periods are featured each semester, and most concerts are free with general seating.

The Miller Park Outdoor Summer Theatre, an amateur theater group sponsored by the City of Bloomington, performs two major theater productions each year. USA Ballet is an international ballet company. It provides children's workshops and outreach programs, and presents at Illinois Wesleyan University's McPherson Theatre three times a year.

Events
American Passion Play was the oldest continuously performed Passion Play in the United States. Performed each spring at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, the Passion Play was set in Palestine and portrays the life of Christ in its entirety, closing finally after its 100th year running in May 2023.

The Illinois Shakespeare Festival includes productions performed in an open-air, Elizabethan-style theatre within historic Ewing Manor each summer. The audience is encouraged to picnic on the grounds before each performance to be entertained by strolling Madrigal singers, jesters, and other entertainers as well as a Green Show performance.

The Lincoln's Bloomington Festival is held each July in Downtown Bloomington and features Civil War reenactments, traditional craft demonstrations, children's activities, musical performances, talks and tours.

The Spring Bloom Arts Festival is hosted by the McLean County Arts Center in March each year. This indoor fine art festival features over 100 artists representing a wide range of media including woodworking, glass art, sculpture, paintings, prints, photographs and handcrafted jewelry.

The McLean County Fair is billed as the '"Home of the World's Largest County 4-H Fair" taking place each August at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington. 4-H activities include: livestock shows, a film festival, and exhibits around food, nutrition & health, plant science, engineering & technology, and environment & natural resources. Evening Grandstand Entertainment features tractor pulls and various musical acts.

Historic sites
Ewing Manor was designed by Bloomington architect Phil Hooten in the Channel-Norman style favored by the affluent in the post-Victorian period. The surrounding gardens were created by noted landscape architect Jens Jensen, who also designed Springfield's Lincoln Memorial Gardens. The theatre on the grounds play host to the Illinois Shakespeare Festival each summer.

The McLean County Museum of History traces its roots back to 1892, the year the McLean County Historical Society was founded. Housed inside the old McLean County Courthouse, the museum features permanent and rotating exhibits that explore the history of Central Illinois. This location is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Miller Park Pavilion & War Memorial was restored in 1977 and dedicated in May 1988. The black granite memorial is surrounded by red sidewalks that list the names of Central Illinois residents killed or missing in action in the Korean and Vietnam battles.

The Prairie Aviation Museum has a collection of preserved aircraft on display, including a Bell Sea Cobra, Huey helicopter, and F-14 Tomcat.

The Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, also known as the Evergreen Cemetery is the burial site of many notable Bloomington-Normal citizens including members of the Stevenson family. Adlai E. Stevenson I, vice president to Grover Cleveland, and Adlai E. Stevenson II, governor of Illinois. ambassador to the United Nations, and twice Democratic candidate for the United States presidency, are both buried there. Also buried there are Stevenson's wife, Letitia Green Stevenson, who was the second National President-General of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and her sister, Julia Green Scott, the seventh National President-General of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Other historical figures buried there include David Davis, friend and mentor to Abraham Lincoln; Charles Radbourn, arguably 19th-century baseball's greatest pitcher; and Dorothy Gage, inspiration for the main character in the Wizard of Oz and niece of author L. Frank Baum.

The David Davis Mansion offers a glimpse into the life friend and mentor of Abraham Lincoln, David Davis, who was a U.S. senator from Illinois and associate justice of the United States Supreme Court. Davis was a key component during Lincoln's bid for the 1860 presidential nomination. The Davis Mansion, completed in 1872, combines Italianate and Second Empire architectural features and is a model of mid-Victorian style and taste. His Bloomington home, which remained in the Davis family for three succeeding generations, contains the most modern conveniences of that era: a coal-burning stove, gas lighting and indoor plumbing. The David Davis Mansion is an historic landmark on the National Register of Historic Places.

The former building of the Montefiore synagogue is one of the few Moorish Revival buildings in Illinois and one of the oldest synagogues in the United States. Other historical landmarks listed on the National Register of Historic Places:
 * Rubin Benjamin House
 * George H. Cox House
 * David Davis III House
 * Robert Greenlee House
 * John M. Hamilton House
 * Holy Trinity Rectory
 * McLean County Courthouse
 * George H. Miller House
 * Miller-Davis Law Building
 * Stevenson House
 * White Building
 * Vrooman Mansion

Parks and recreation
The Bloomington Parks & Recreation Department is composed of four divisions: Parks, Recreation, Golf, and the Miller Park Zoo. The department maintains over 1100 acre of land including 44 park sites and three golf courses. These facilities often contain water spray parks, elaborate playgrounds, miniature golf, baseball/softball diamonds, soccer fields, cricket grounds, and lighted tennis courts. Outdoor public swimming pools are at O'Neil Park and Holiday Park.

Miller Park Zoo offers many exhibits and zookeeper interaction opportunities. Zoo inhabitants include a Sumatran tiger, river otter, Galapagos tortoise, Amur leopard, sun bears, reindeer, sea lion, red pandas, lemus, bald eagles, pallas cats and red wolves. The zoo features many exhibits including Wallaby WalkAbout, ZooLab, Children's Zoo, Animals of Asia, and the Katthoefer Animal Building. The Zoo's newest exhibit is the Tropical America Rainforest.

The Bloomington-Normal Constitution Trail is a 24 mi trail that operates on dedicated right-of-way through much of the city. The north–south segment of the trail follows the abandoned Illinois Central Gulf railroad from Kerrick Road in Normal to Grove Street in Bloomington. The east–west segment intersects the north segment at Normal City Hall Annex and continues east to Towanda-Barnes Road. The Liberty Branch begins at Commerce Drive and ends at Old Farm Lakes Subdivision. The Freedom Branch begins at Lincoln Street and ends at Route 9 West. The trail is open to walkers, runners, in-line skaters, skateboarders, cyclists, wheelchair users, and other non-motorized forms of transportation. During winter months, it is not cleared of snow, and is available to skiers; weather permitting.

The Genevieve Green Gardens at Ewing Cultural Center were dedicated in 2007 as part of the Illinois State University's 150th anniversary celebration. Several architects and landscape designers contributed to the extensive project of creating the gardens, including input from Bruce V. Green, an avid gardener whose $5.2 million donation spearheaded the project. The gardens include a public entry that directs visitors to a formal plaza, the entrance to the manor, a grass patio, theater walk with a widened walkway, and additional plantings.

The Bloomington Ice Center is an indoor public ice skating facility operated by the Bloomington Parks & Recreation Department. The facility offers ice skating lessons, public skating sessions, a comprehensive hockey program, learn to curl and curling leagues, skate rental, and a concessions stand.

Golf
In 2005, Golf Digest ranked Bloomington-Normal as the Fifth Best American City for Golf in its "Best in America" Metro Golf Rankings. Golf Digest ranked America's largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas on four different criteria: access to golf, weather, value of golf, and quality of golf.

The Den at Fox Creek is a 4-star, Arnold Palmer Signature Designed Golf Course that opened in 1997. Amenities include GPS-equipped carts, club rental, pro shop and snack bar. There are nine holes with water hazards, 131 sand traps and a unique alternative shot closing the 18th hole on this par 72 course. Practice facilities include a large bent grass driving range and tees with practice chipping and putting greens. The Den is home to both the IHSA Boys' Golf State Tournament and State Farm Youth Classic each summer.
 * The Den at Fox Creek: 6926 yd, Par 72, 18 holes.

Located in South Bloomington, the Highland Park Golf Course has numerous challenges including creeks, three lakes, well-placed sand traps and tree-lined fairways. Highland Park sports a pro shop, carts, club rental and snack bar and offers individual or group lessons. The Highland Park Golf Course hosts the State Farm Youth Classic each summer.
 * Highland Park Golf Course: 5725 yd, Par 70, 18 holes.

The Links at Ireland Grove is Bloomington's newest public golf facility and first executive course. This nine-hole course consists of seven par 3's and two par 4's. The driving range has weather protected hitting bays, plus over 1 acre of target greens, several bunkers, and nearly 2 acre of natural grass hitting area. In addition, The Links Golf Academy offers a 4 acre short game practice facility. The Links' complex also includes Golf Etc., a pro shop selling everything golf related. The Links is also home to the skills Challenge portion of the State Farm Youth Classic each summer.
 * The Links at Ireland Grove: 1590 yd, Par 29, 9 holes.

Prairie Vista sports 16 water hazards, a wave bunker, two-level greens and fairways, much sand, a pro shop, carts, club rental, snack bar, banquet room and driving range. In addition to annually hosting the State Farm Youth Classic and IHSA Boys' Golf State Finals, Prairie Vista hosted the 1997 NCAA Division I Women's Golf East Regional.
 * Prairie Vista Golf Course: 6745 yd, Par 72, 18 holes.

There are two private country clubs within Bloomington: Bloomington Country Club and Lakeside Country Club. A third, Crestwicke Country Club, is just south of the city. All three have golf courses.

Facilities
The Grossinger Motors Arena in southwest downtown Bloomington opened in 2006 and is home to the Bloomington Edge of the Indoor Football League and formerly the home of the PrairieThunder and Blaze of the Central Hockey League. Since 2014, it has been the home rink of the Central Illinois Flying Aces of the United States Hockey League, as well as hosting certain games of Illinois State University's club hockey team and local youth hockey programs. With over 180000 sqft of space, the arena boasts a fixed seating capacity of 7,000 but can seat over 8,000 for special events. The facility can also be set up as a theatre with a retractable curtain and enables shows to seat 2,500–5,000 in a more intimate atmosphere. Since the arena's opening, the facility has hosted an array of events including concerts, family shows, ice shows, motorsports, and trade shows.

The Community Soccer Fields complex offers 20 soccer fields of various sizes used annually by 2,000 area soccer players.

Extra Innings Bloomington/Normal is an indoor baseball and softball training facility. The Shira Baseball Complex consists of 6 fields of various sizes (four with lights) and a concession stand to accommodate McLean County baseball players ages 5–19.

Primary and secondary
Bloomington is served by two public school districts. The interior of the city is served by Bloomington Public Schools District 87, which operates one high school, Bloomington High School, one junior high school, Bloomington Junior High School, and six elementary schools (Oakland, Washington, Bent, Irving, Sheridan, and Stevenson elementary schools) and one pre-school, Sarah Raymond (named for the first female superintendent for Bloomington).

Growth has taken the city well into the boundaries of a second district, McLean County Unit District No. 5. Although Unit Five originally served only suburban areas, including Normal, the majority of its students now are from Bloomington itself. Unit Five operates two high schools (Normal Community High School and Normal Community West High School), four junior high schools, and numerous elementary schools. As of 2010, Unit Five was constructing its fourth junior high school which is called George Evans Junior High School more commonly known as EJHS. The construction was finished in 2011 Unit 5 was also making two new elementary schools in Bloomington, and is projecting the need for another high school.

Bloomington is also home to several private schools, including Central Catholic High School, Corpus Christi Catholic School Elm./Jr. School, Epiphany Elm./Jr. School, St. Mary's Catholic School, Trinity Lutheran School, and Cornerstone Christian Academy. Bloomington students also may enroll at Metcalf Elm./Jr. School and University High School, laboratory schools located at Illinois State University.

Bloomington/Normal Japanese Saturday School (ブルーミントン・ノーマル補習授業校 Burūminton Nōmaru Hoshū Jugyō Kō), a Japanese weekend school, was established in 1986 and held at the Thomas Metcalf School, an ISU laboratory school in Normal. The school has a separate office in Normal.

Colleges and universities
The city of Bloomington is home to Illinois Wesleyan University. Founded in 1850, it is a private residential university with an enrollment of 2,100 and a student/faculty ratio of 12 to 1. Historically, it was affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The university consists of the College of Liberal Arts, with 17 academic departments; the College of Fine Arts, comprising professional Schools of Art, Music, and Theatre Arts; and the School of Nursing. In the past decade, Illinois Wesleyan has added the five-story Ames Library, the Center for Natural Science, and the Shirk Center for Athletics and Recreation. An NCAA Division III school, Illinois Wesleyan has had more than 100 athletes elected into the Academic All-American team since 1970.,

Library
Bloomington Public Library was first opened in 1857 by the Ladies' Library Association, which was formed in 1856. The small library was mainly supported by book donations and membership fees. In 1871, the library relocated to 105 West North Street (now West Monroe Street). After closing due to a lack of funds in 1880, the library reopened after residents raised $1,100 to support it. In 1888, the library moved into a new two-story building at the corner of East and Washington Streets on land donated by Sarah B. Withers. In honor of the donation, the library was renamed "Withers Library." In 1976, Citizens for a New Public Library organized a Friends of the Library group that campaigned for approval of bonds to raise money for a new public library. The campaign was successful, and in 1977 the library reopened at 205 East Olive Street as Bloomington Public Library. It offers a number of public programs, including a Bookmobile, started in 1926 as Library on Wheels, that delivers to local neighborhoods.

Media
NOAA Weather Radio station KZZ65 transmits from Bloomington and is licensed to NOAA's National Weather Service Central Illinois Weather Forecast Office at Lincoln, broadcasting on a frequency of 162.525 mHz (channel 6 on most newer weather radios, and most SAME weather radios). The station activates the SAME tone alarm feature and a 1050 Hz tone activating older radios (except for AMBER Alerts, using the SAME feature only) for hazardous weather and non-weather warnings and emergencies, along with selected weather watches, for the Illinois counties of McLean, Tazewell, and Woodford. Weather permitting, a tone alarm test of both the SAME and 1050 Hz tone features are conducted every Wednesday between 11 AM and Noon.

The Pantagraph is a local daily newspaper serving Bloomington.

Transportation
Bloomington is serviced by passenger rail, bus service, and several airlines. Amtrak, from its Bloomington-Normal station, operates five trains in each direction between St. Louis and Chicago each day. The station also serves connecting bus service to Peoria and Amtrak stations in Galesburg and Champaign-Urbana. It is Illinois' third-busiest Amtrak station after Chicago and Champaign-Urbana, servicing about 92,000 passengers in fiscal year 2021.

Greyhound Lines provides service to/from Chicago and St. Louis. Burlington Trailways offers service from the Amtrak station and the Greyhound station to/from Peoria, Quad Cities, Illinois/Iowa, Champaign, and Indianapolis

The Central Illinois Regional Airport on Route 9 is served by four airlines (Delta Air Lines, American Eagle, Frontier and Allegiant Air), five rental car agencies, and has direct daily flights to Atlanta (Delta), Chicago (American Eagle), Dallas-Ft. Worth (American Eagle), Detroit (Delta), and Minneapolis/St. Paul (Delta). Additional service includes nonstop flights to Sanford, Florida (Allegiant) and St.Pete/Clearwater (Allegiant). A record 559,481 passengers flew to or from CIRA in 2010.

Connect Transit provides local bus service with 11 color-coded fixed routes in the area; a lift-assisted paratransit service called Connect Mobility and a campus shuttle for ISU called Redbird Express.

Interstates 39, 55, and 74 intersect at Bloomington, making the city a substantial transportation hub. US highways 51 and 150 and Illinois state route 9 also run through Bloomington. The legendary highway U.S. Route 66 once ran directly through the city's downtown and later on a bypass to the east.

Sister cities

 * 🇺🇸 Normal, Illinois
 * 🇯🇵 Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan
 * 🇨🇺 Caibarién, Cuba
 * Canterbury, United Kingdom
 * 🇷🇺 Vladimir, Russia

In popular culture

 * A season 4 episode of the Discovery Channel series A Haunting, called The Awakening, takes place in Bloomington in 2003.
 * The AWE DLC for the 2019 video game Control, a game about paranormal events and items, contains a haunted train supposedly derailed in Bloomington.
 * The character Henry Blake from the television show M*A*S*H was from Bloomington.

title: Bloomington, Illinois


text:
Carlock, Illinois

Carlock is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 548 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Oak Grove and Carlock
Carlock was laid out on January 5, 1888, by John Franklin Carlock. Mr. Carlock owned 160 acre of land. One 80 acre tract was used to plat the original village of Carlock. It was located south of the hard road, Route 9 (now U.S. Route 150), connecting Bloomington and Peoria. It was one of the last towns platted in McLean County. Just northeast of the present location of Carlock the main road from Bloomington to Peoria, which was locally known as the Old Trail passed or the Old Peoria Trail, ascended a low range of wooded hills. This location had long been of interest to townsite developers. The first attempt was made by local farmer John McGee, who in 1838 laid out the town of Livingston; it consisted of seven blocks and a town square. Livingston was a total failure. McGee was unable to sell a single lot. The second attempt at town founding was more successful. By the 1850s a small cluster of houses and stores had begun to cluster just west of McGee's townsite. In 1866 a post office was established with the name Oak Grove. On July 17, 1879, an official town plat was filed. Soon there were about twenty dwellings, a large town hall, two general stores, a blacksmith shop, a steam-driven mill, a harness and shoe shop, and a brass band. One reporter wrote that all the town needed "is a railroad".

The town moves down hill
By March 1887 it was clear that a railroad would pass nearby, and local people were denying rumors that their town would be picked up bodily and carried to the railroad. The people at Oak Grove sent a delegation to Bloomington to explain to the superintendent of the Lake Erie and Western Railroad the reasons for putting a station at Oak Grove; his reply was not encouraging. Then local farmer John Franklin Carlock, who also had a contract to supply the railroad with oak ties, laid out a new town about a mile and a half away. In November 1879 it was announced that the town movers had arrived in Oak Grove. Buildings were placed on skids and hauled down the hill to the site of Carlock. By February 1888 residents were moving into their newly re-located homes. In June 1888 the Oak Grove correspondent of The Pantagraph reported that "nothing is left of our town but pieces". Further west along the same new railroad, other towns were in motion: buildings from Farnisville moved to Congerville, and Chaffers Corners went to the new town of Deer Creek.

Original design and development of Carlock
The plan of the original town of Carlock was small and simple. It was a rectangle bisected diagonally into two equal parts by the railroad, with one whole block and two partial blocks on each side of the tracks. There were a total of 85 lots. Most of the businesses were along Perry Street north of the tracks. In 1895 there were about sixty buildings in Carlock; most of these were newly built, and only about twelve had been moved from Oak Grove. Because of the late date at which the town was developed, it did not enjoy the rapid growth of some that were established earlier. Carlock remained a rural service center, grain shipping point, and residential community.

New subdivisions
In 2004, the U.S. Department of Agriculture purchased a chunk of land to the northeast of Carlock, off Church Street. This land, which has been incorporated by the village, is being developed as a three-phase subdivision named Stoneman Gardens with approximately 65 lots of 0.5 acre and a small park. The houses are built by the future, low-income owners of the homes with the assistance of an organization called YouthBuild McLean County and is financed by the USDA. This effort allows families which otherwise could not afford to move into a new home to do so. Ground was broken in 2005, and as of July 2010 development had begun on the third and easternmost phase which was to include the park and the final grouping of houses. While the subdivision currently has only one access point – Church Street – at least one additional access is planned in order to link directly to US-150 to the south.

Another subdivision named Rock Creek, on the eastern edge of Carlock and bordering US-150 to the north, contained two homes as of mid-2010. There were only three homes as of mid-2013, showing a slow developmental start but leaving many available lots for potential new homes in the next few years.

Geography
Carlock is in northwestern McLean County along U.S. Route 150, which passes through the village as East Washington Road and North Bradbury Street. Interstate 74 passes just west of the village limits, with access from Exit 120 (West Washington Street). I-74 and US 150 both lead southeast 13 mi to Bloomington, the McLean county seat. Peoria is 27 mi to the northwest via I-74, while US 150, running parallel as a local highway, leads northwest 5 mi to Congerville.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Carlock has a total area of 0.40 sqmi, all land. Rock Creek runs along the eastern edge of the village, flowing northwest and then west to the Mackinaw River, a west-flowing tributary of the Illinois River.

Carlock and the surrounding areas receive police protection from the McLean County Sheriff's Police and the nearby Danvers Police Department for daily patrols, and Fire/EMS coverage from the Carlock Fire Protection District.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 552 people, 219 households, and 205 occupied housing units in the village.

The racial makeup of the village was 90.2% White, 7.6% African American, 0.5%  Asian, 1.3% from  other races, and 0.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.

The census of 2000 published 180 households, out of which 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.9% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.1% were non-families. 22.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 27.9% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 35.3% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $50,000, and the median income for a family was $50,417. Males had a median income of $35,469 versus $30,078 for females. The per capita income for the village was $20,227. About 5.9% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.9% of those under age 18 and 1.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Carlock has an elementary school that is part of McLean County School District: Unit 5. The school feeds into Parkside Jr High School and Normal Community West High school, in Normal, Illinois. The school mascot is an Eagle.

Notable people

 * H. C. Baldridge, 14th governor of Idaho from 1927 until 1931; born in Carlock
 * Simon E. Lantz, Illinois farmer and politician; born in Carlock
 * Bonnie Lou, recording artist, radio and TV star, member of Rockabilly Hall of Fame

title: Carlock, Illinois


text:
Chenoa, Illinois

Chenoa is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,695 at the 2020 census. The city is located at the intersections of Interstate 55, Historic Route 66, and U.S. Route 24. Founded in 1854 by Mathew T. Scott, Chenoa was created to provide a retail and trade center for his farm tenants as well as a grain shipping facility. The Chenoa Centennial was celebrated in 1954. The town is situated in a highly productive agricultural area. The town school system closed at the end of the 2004 school year, consolidating with the nearby Prairie Central school district. A well attended July 4 celebration is held in Chenoa each year.

Geography
Chenoa is located at 40.74306°N, -88.72°W (40.743136, -88.720079).

According to the 2020 census, Chenoa has a total area of 2.475 sqmi, of which 2.43 sqmi (or 98.18%) is land and 0.045 sqmi (or 1.82%) is water.

Situated in McLean County, the area surrounding Chenoa boasts some of the richest soil in the world. Only patches of farmland in Argentina, southern Ukraine and along the Yellow River in China match the fertile ground that covers much of the northern half of Illinois, particularly a high-yielding band through the state's midsection. McLean County is traditionally the state's leading corn and soybean producer.

Climate
Chenoa has a Humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfa), with hot, humid summers and cold, slightly drier winters. The frost-free Growing season averages 173 days.

Demographics
As of the census of 2020, there were 1,695 people, 790 households, and 451 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,472.2 PD/sqmi. There were 768 housing units at an average density of 612.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 94.24% White, 1.85% African American, 0.00% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 1.50% from other races, and 1.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.60% of the population.

There were 790 households, out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.4% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% 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 3.03.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.6% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $44,420, and the median income for a family was $50,948. Males had a median income of $35,821 versus $21,361 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,559. About 4.6% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

History

Founding of Chenoa

The Town of Chenoa was laid out on May 13, 1856, by Matthew T. Scott. At this time the Chicago and Alton Railroad, had been running trains for almost two years, but the survey for the east-west Toledo, Peoria and Oquawka (soon to be the Toledo, Peoria and Western) had not reached McLean County. Scott anticipated the place where the railroads would cross and platted the town which he called Chenoa. Matthew T. Scott (February 24, 1828 - May 21, 1891) was the son of a Kentucky banker and by the time he reached Illinois, was an experienced land developer who led a group of well financed investors. The European settlement history of Chenoa began in 1854 when Matthew T. Scott began buying thousands of acres of land in this area.

The Name Chenoa

There has been much discussion about the meaning of the name Chenoa. Mid-nineteenth century histories explain that it was an Indian word for "Kentucky" and could therefore be rendered as "Dark and Bloody Ground." Callary makes it clear that this is incorrect and that this meaning is unknown in Kentucky. Others explain that Chenoa is a Cherokee word meaning "Dove" or "White Dove." Again this is not the case. Dove in Cherokee is "waya" and white dove "unega waya." There is also the often-repeated story that Scott had originally wanted the name to read "Chenowa" but the railroad had mistakenly dropped the letter "w." This again is not true. The railroad had no say in the naming of Chenoa; the spelling "Chenoa" is exactly how Scott recorded the name when he first laid out the town. However,"Chenoka" or "Chenoa" is one of many Native American names for the Kentucky River and this may explain how Scott got the idea that the word could be translated as Kentucky.

Design of Chenoa

The plan of Chenoa is complex because it is the blending of two rival townsites. Scott's original town, which lies west of the railroad, was built around a central park, is much more like the plan like central Illinois towns of the 1830s than that of other towns laid out in the 1850s. However, Scott only owned Section 2, while his rival, and former business companion, William Marshall had purchased Section 1. Marshall's land included most of the land east of the railroad; on this land, he laid out a competing town, East Chenoa. Scott did control a small strip between the two towns which he refused to plat out into streets and lots, so anyone who tried to pass the short distance from one town to the other would be guilty of trespass. Scott would call this strip his "imaginary wall," although it was never a physical barrier. The dual nature of the platting also explains why Chenoa had two distinct streets named Lincoln. Both Scott's and Marshall's towns were orthogonal grids with north-south and east-west streets, but plan became still more complex when a later addition by Scott included Veto Street, which ran parallel to the railroad and at an odd angle to the earlier streets.

Selling Chenoa

The first advertisement for the town of Chenoa appeared under the bold heading, GREAT SALE OF LOTS IN THE TOWN OF CHENOA, May 15, 1856. The advertisement makes clear the advantages Scott had in mind when he selected the location of the town. It was, he wrote, "The only crossing of railroads likely to be made within McLean County within four or five years, and persons can easily ascertain that the connection of the two roads will be effected by the first of November or December." He went on to explain that, while there was no large body of timber nearby, coal will be furnished at twelve cents a bushel and cheep lumber, poplar, walnut, and oak will also be brought in by the railroad. This was a particular advantage because "... persons will come from eight or ten miles for these articles, bringing along their grain, making loads with both ways - carrying back coal, sometimes for themselves, again for their neighbors." If anyone would build a house worth $400 to $500 within six months of buying a lot, they could have two years of credit on the sale price interest free. Scott was willing to take a quarter interest in a steam saw mill and would donate sites for churches, schools and burial grounds. Moreover, anyone who sold liquor in the town would forfeit the title to their property.

Development of Chenoa

The great problem with the development of Chenoa was that, before the town was laid out, there had been no settlement in the surrounding country. The land around Chenoa was prairie wilderness. The Indians who had hunted and lived in Illinois country for many years had been moved by the U. S. Government to regions west of the Mississippi River by the time Chenoa was founded. Soon the tough prairie sod was broken by the plow which made acres and acres of land available for farming. Scott aided the development of nearby land by plowing and cultivating 16000 acre, building two hundred houses, and planting twenty-seven miles of hedge fences. The first structures within the limits of the new town were two little half-sod and half-board dugouts which served as depot, freight house, and shelter for railroad section hands; this is one of the very few mentions of sod houses in McLean County. J. B. Lenney came from Pennsylvania to the new town of Chenoa and in 1855 put up the frame building here which was called "The Farmer's Store." J. B. Lenney took an active part in the development of the town and is referred to as the "Father of Chenoa." In 1856 the National Hotel was constructed. All of these buildings were on the east side of the tracks. In 1864 Chenoa, East Chenoa, and several additions were united under one town government which was confirmed by a special act of the Illinois General Assembly in 1869.

Development continues

Slowly, additional improvements were made. Rectangular blocks of stone were placed at road intersections. Changes in livestock laws made it possible for residents to tear down the wooden fences that had once surrounded every residence. Many trees were planted. The Chicago and Alton was double tracked in 1890. In 1891 the first electric lights were installed. A union station was built so both railroads could share passenger facilities; unfortunately it burned down during Armistice celebrations on November 11, 1918. This was not the towns only serious July 1894 the entire business district town east of the Railroad burned down; very few of the buildings were insured. Railroad traffic peaked in 1911, when twenty-four trains arrived. After that automobile and truck traffic slowly replaced trains and Chenoa became a stop of the fabled Route 66. Two currently active businesses here are notable due to their longevity: Schuirman's Drug Store (now Chenoa Pharmacy) and Union Roofing. Several small manufacturers operate here and a number of antique dealers are Chenoa-based. Chenoa was once home to two competing grain elevators. The last one was demolished in late December 2020. Chenoa is now the headquarters of the Bright Stalk Wind Farm.

Historical landmarks

The Matthew T. Scott House was built as a home for Matthew T. Scott, who promoted and developed much of the surrounding area. It is closely associated with many events in the history of Chenoa. What appears today to be one building, is in fact, a blending of two structures. The oldest part is, at the rear of the house, was built in 1855, as a post and beam I-cottage. The more formal front of the house was added in 1863 and is a true balloon frame structure built around a central hall with an impressive staircase. The foundation of both is of Joliet dolomite. In addition to Matthew T. Scott, the home was the scene of many family events. It was here that the first Adlai E. Stevenson I (1835–1914), who held many important government positions and would become the 23rd Vice President of the United States from 1893 to 1897, courted Scott's sister-in-law, Letitia Green; their wedding took place in this house in 1866.

By 1980 the house was in poor condition and seemed likely to be demolished. It was then bought and restored by Mrs. Elizabeth Stevenson Ives, a great niece of Matthew T. Scott. In 1982 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Notable people

 * Stan Albeck, basketball head coach, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs, was born and attended high school in Chenoa.
 * Lewis Stevenson, Illinois secretary of state, son of 23rd Vice President of the United States Adlai Stevenson I and father of 1952 and 1956 Democratic presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson II, was born in Chenoa.

title: Chenoa, Illinois