Knoxville, Illinois

Last updated

Knoxville
City of Knoxville, Illinois
Knox County Pork Producers Building, Knox County Fairgrounds.jpg
Nickname: 
K-ville
Knox County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Knoxville Highlighted.svg
Location of Knoxville in Knox County, Illinois.
Illinois in United States (US48).svg
Location of Illinois in the United States
Coordinates: 40°54′25″N90°17′09″W / 40.90694°N 90.28583°W / 40.90694; -90.28583 [1]
CountryUnited States
StateIllinois
County Knox
Township Knox
Founded1831
Founded by James Knox [ citation needed ]
Government
  MayorToby Myers
Area
[2]
  Total2.35 sq mi (6.09 km2)
  Land2.35 sq mi (6.09 km2)
  Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
[1]
764 ft (233 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Total2,901
  Density1,234.47/sq mi (476.71/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (CST)
  Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Code(s)
61448
Area code 309
FIPS code 17-40416
GNIS feature ID2395558 [1]
Wikimedia CommonsKnoxville, Illinois
Website kville.org

Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,911 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Contents

Description

Knoxville is located just southeast of the City of Galesburg. There is a public square in the center of town with several historic buildings surrounding it including Knox County's first courthouse, city hall, the Ball log cabin, the town gallows, and several other important buildings. The Knox County Fairgrounds is just north of Knoxville on Henderson Road. Knoxville is served with two exits on Interstate 74, at U.S. Highway 150 east of town and at Henderson Road north of town. U.S. Highway 150 runs east and west through Knoxville and serves as the main business thoroughfare. Illinois Route 97 and Knox County Highway 8 also enter the city. The Knoxville Cemetery lies in the northern part of town on Market Street. The Knox County Nursing Home is located in the city. There is a grade school in Knoxville, as well as a Junior High and a High School (KHS). Among the "attractions" in Knoxville are the historic buildings, Walnut Grove Farm and Rattle Toes exhibit, the Knox County Fair held in August, and the annual Knox County Scenic Drive held in October.

History

Knoxville was established on January 15, 1831, and called Henderson until its name was changed to Knoxville on December 22, 1832 when it became the county seat. It was one of the first 10 municipalities incorporated in the state and is the oldest town in Knox County. James Knox was a notable early resident. [3]

A house seen on a postcard sent from Knoxville in 1908 Knoxville IL (1908).jpg
A house seen on a postcard sent from Knoxville in 1908

Knoxville was the county seat until 1873, when the county seat was moved to Galesburg. The first Knox County Courthouse, completed in 1839, and second Knox County jail, completed in 1845, still stand in Knoxville and are registered on the National Register of Historic Places. The two buildings and Knoxville's first general store, the Sanburn Log Cabin, built in 1832, have been restored and are open to the public. The county's Hall of Records, built in 1854, is used as Knoxville's City Hall.

The log cabin of John G. Sanburn was not discovered until decades after his death, when it was nearly destroyed. In 1832, Sanburn settled in Knoxville to open the first shop, which also served as the first post office. He was the first county clerk, circuit clerk, Indian master, and probate judge, as well as shopkeeper and postmaster. Years later, as the house built around Sanburn's cabin was being demolished, a nosey neighbor spied the underlying log structure and alerted the authorities. At that time the owner of the property, Bernice LaFollette, donated the cabin to the city as a museum.

Typical log cabins like Sanburn's measured about 14' x 14' wide and 7'-8' high with 9" walnut lincoln logs, wooden door hinges, and clapboard shingles. The entire area of Sanburn's cabin and general store served as a kitchen while encased in Johnson's home. A restoration in 1964 insured proper security and insulation that Sanburn did not enjoy in the 1830s, including glass windows and cement sealant to replace clay and hay between logs.

The cabin contains general store memorabilia for display and a picture of an 1852 penny discovered in the foundation when the house was moved from the south to the north side of the square for restoration. The John G Sanburn Log Cabin is maintained by the Knox County Historic Sites. It is open for public view during the first two weekends in October for the Knox County Scenic Drive and from 2-4 p.m. Sundays, May–September.

In 1868, St. Mary's School opened on the site where the Ewing Female University had previously been located. [4]

The Old Knox County Jail was the location of the only legal hanging in Knox County when John Osborne was hanged March 14, 1873, for the murder and sodomy of Adelia M. Mathews, Yates City.

Abraham Lincoln stayed in Knoxville on his way to his debate with Stephen A. Douglas at Knox College in 1858. The hotel that he spent the night in was demolished but a plaque on the building currently at the site commemorates the occasion.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Knoxville has a total area of 2.32 square miles (6.01 km2), all land. [5]

Climate

Climate data for Knoxville, Illinois (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1897–present)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °F (°C)68
(20)
71
(22)
81
(27)
88
(31)
94
(34)
99
(37)
108
(42)
100
(38)
100
(38)
92
(33)
78
(26)
70
(21)
108
(42)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)31.6
(−0.2)
36.1
(2.3)
48.8
(9.3)
61.5
(16.4)
72.0
(22.2)
81.2
(27.3)
83.6
(28.7)
82.0
(27.8)
76.3
(24.6)
63.8
(17.7)
49.3
(9.6)
36.4
(2.4)
60.2
(15.7)
Daily mean °F (°C)23.0
(−5.0)
27.1
(−2.7)
38.6
(3.7)
50.5
(10.3)
61.4
(16.3)
70.9
(21.6)
74.1
(23.4)
72.3
(22.4)
65.4
(18.6)
52.8
(11.6)
40.0
(4.4)
28.5
(−1.9)
50.4
(10.2)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)14.3
(−9.8)
18.1
(−7.7)
28.5
(−1.9)
39.4
(4.1)
50.8
(10.4)
60.7
(15.9)
64.7
(18.2)
62.6
(17.0)
54.4
(12.4)
41.8
(5.4)
30.7
(−0.7)
20.5
(−6.4)
40.5
(4.7)
Record low °F (°C)−27
(−33)
−28
(−33)
−8
(−22)
9
(−13)
24
(−4)
36
(2)
42
(6)
43
(6)
19
(−7)
18
(−8)
−6
(−21)
−16
(−27)
−28
(−33)
Average precipitation inches (mm)2.09
(53)
2.12
(54)
2.64
(67)
3.95
(100)
5.54
(141)
4.61
(117)
4.16
(106)
3.50
(89)
4.18
(106)
3.03
(77)
2.51
(64)
2.17
(55)
40.50
(1,029)
Average snowfall inches (cm)6.4
(16)
7.7
(20)
3.4
(8.6)
0.4
(1.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.2
(0.51)
1.4
(3.6)
5.9
(15)
25.4
(65)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)8.58.710.111.513.911.89.89.98.19.78.09.4119.4
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)4.44.21.80.30.00.00.00.00.00.10.63.514.9
Source: NOAA [6] [7]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1850 798
1860 1,56796.4%
1870 1,88320.2%
1880 1,600−15.0%
1890 1,7288.0%
1900 1,8577.5%
1910 1,818−2.1%
1920 1,708−6.1%
1930 1,8679.3%
1940 2,24120.0%
1950 2,209−1.4%
1960 2,56015.9%
1970 2,93014.5%
1980 3,43217.1%
1990 3,243−5.5%
2000 3,183−1.9%
2010 2,911−8.5%
2020 2,901−0.3%
U.S. Decennial Census [8]

As of the census [9] of 2000, there were 3,183 people, 1,210 households, and 878 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,448.0 inhabitants per square mile (559.1/km2). There were 1,260 housing units at an average density of 573.2 per square mile (221.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.59% White, 0.35% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.13% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.57% of the population. There were 1,210 households, out of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.5% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 22.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $43,438, and the median income for a family was $49,688. Males had a median income of $31,442 versus $23,939 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,643. About 1.9% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 0.8% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knox County, Illinois</span> County in Illinois, United States

Knox County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 49,967. Its county seat is Galesburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuba, Illinois</span> City in Illinois, United States

Cuba is a city in Fulton County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,184 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Mills, Illinois</span> Village in Illinois, United States

London Mills is a village in Fulton and Knox counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 392 at the 2010 census, down from 447 at the 2000 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carthage, Illinois</span> City in Illinois, United States

Carthage is a city in and the county seat of Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Its population was 2,490 as of the 2020 census. Carthage is best known for being the site of the 1844 death of Joseph Smith, who founded the Latter Day Saint movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abingdon, Illinois</span> City in Illinois, United States

Abingdon is a city in Knox County, Illinois, United States, 50 miles (80 km) west of Peoria. It is part of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area. The city was first settled in 1828 and was incorporated in 1857. In june of 1907, the patent for the common spring-loaded mousetrap was awarded to William Hooker William Armstrong and Knox Mark of Abingdon. The population was 3,319 at the 2010 census, down from 3,612 at the 2000 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Galesburg, Illinois</span> Village in Illinois, United States

East Galesburg is a village in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The population was 812 as of the 2010 census, down from 839 in 2000. It is part of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galesburg, Illinois</span> City in Illinois, United States

Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The city is 45 miles (72 km) northwest of Peoria. At the 2010 census, its population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County and the principal city of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Knox and Warren counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henderson, Illinois</span> Village in Illinois, United States

Henderson is a village in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The population was 255 at the 2010 census, down from 319 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maquon, Illinois</span> American village

Maquon is a village in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The population was 218 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oneida, Illinois</span> City in Illinois, United States

Oneida is a city in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The population was 700 at the 2010 census, down from 750 in 2000. It is part of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rio, Illinois</span> Village in Illinois, United States

Rio is a village in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The population was 220 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Augustine, Illinois</span> Village in Illinois, United States

St. Augustine or Saint Augustine is a village in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The population was 120 at the 2010 census, down from 152 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria, Illinois</span> Village in Illinois, United States

Victoria is a village in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The population was 316 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wataga, Illinois</span> Village in Illinois, United States

Wataga is a village in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The population was 843 at the 2010 census, down from 857 in 2000. It is part of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Williamsfield, Illinois</span> Village in Illinois, United States

Williamsfield is a village in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The population was 578 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yates City, Illinois</span> Village in Illinois, United States

Yates City is a village in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The population was 642 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kinmundy, Illinois</span> City in Illinois, United States

Kinmundy is a city in Marion County, Illinois, United States. The population was 733 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knox Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania</span> Township in Pennsylvania, United States

Knox Township is a township that is located in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 599.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farragut, Tennessee</span> Town in Tennessee, United States

Farragut is a suburban town located in Knox and Loudon counties in the State of Tennessee, United States. The town's population was 23,506 at the 2020 census. It is included in the Knoxville Metropolitan Area. The town is named in honor of Union Admiral David Farragut, who was born just east of Farragut at Campbell's Station in 1801, and fought in the American Civil War.

The Galesburg, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in west central Illinois, anchored by the city of Galesburg.

References

  1. 1 2 3 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Knoxville, Illinois
  2. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  3. "James Knox Park". City of Knoxville. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  4. Chapman, Chas C. (1878). History of Knox county, Illinois : together with sketches of the cities, villages and townships; record of its volunteers in the late war; educational, religious, civil and political history; portraits of prominent persons and biographical sketches of the subscribers; history of Illinois; abstracts of the state laws, etc., etc., etc. ; illustrated. Chicago : Blakely, Brown & Marsh, printers. pp. 585–93. Retrieved September 29, 2023.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  5. "G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  6. "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  7. "Station: Knoxville, IL". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  8. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  9. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.