Goofy Ridge, Illinois

Goofy Ridge, Illinois
Census-designated place
Goofy Ridge Show map of Illinois Goofy Ridge Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 40°23′42″N89°56′27″W / 40.39500°N 89.94083°W / 40.39500; -89.94083
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Mason
Civil township	Quiver
Area [1]
• Total	1.35 sq mi (3.49 km2)
• Land	1.35 sq mi (3.49 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation [2]	479 ft (146 m)
Population  (2020) [3]
• Total	210
• Density	155.67/sq mi (60.12/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes	61567 (Topeka) 62644 (Havana)
Area code	309
GNIS feature ID	2628551 [2]

Goofy Ridge is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Quiver Township, Mason County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 210, ^[3] down from 350 in 2010. ^[4] Goofy Ridge is given Topeka mailing addresses.

History

According to American Journal by Gary Gladstone, Goofy Ridge got its name thus:

Years back it was just The Ridge, a camp near the river bank where moonshiners and other carousers met weekly to do their drinking. After some serious drinking one night, a local game warden said he wasn't too drunk to shoot a walnut off the head of a volunteer. Naturally, someone was drunk enough to volunteer. The game warden placed the tiny target on the volunteer's head, aimed his .22 rifle, and shot the nut right off. This caper was called by a witness "one damned goofy thing to do," and the camp was ever after known as Goofy Ridge. ^[5]

The abstract of the academic paper "Goofy Ridge: On Human Ecology, Poverty, and the Labeling of Places" hints there may be a social significance associated with this incident, something confirmed by a segment on Weekend America. According to Storyville, USA by Dale Peterson, "Al Capone, as a matter of fact, used to come down [to Goofy Ridge] to hunt and fish." ^[6]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
2010	350		—
2020	210		−40.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [7]

See also

• List of census-designated places in Illinois

References

1. "2022 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Illinois". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Goofy Ridge, Illinois
3. "P1. Race – Goofy Ridge CDP, Illinois: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
4. "P1. Race – Goofy Ridge CDP, Illinois: 2010 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
5. Gladstone, Gary. Passing Gas: And Other Towns Along the American Highway ( ISBN   1580084567)
6. Peterson, Dale. Storyville, USA ( ISBN   0820323039)
7. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.