According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Sheridan has a total area of 2.16 square miles (5.59km2), of which 2.12 square miles (5.49km2) (or 98.29%) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10km2) (or 1.71%) is water.[3]
The village lies at a bend in the Fox River where Somonauk Creek enters the river, and the Lower Fox River Dells start. It is used as both a launching and retrieval point for canoes going down the river. Canoes generally start upstream in Yorkville, and they generally exit at Ayers Landing, near the community of Wedron. The area of the village, and Mission Township where it sits, is defined by the river's distinct westward flow, which goes west, then south, then east, then south, and finally winds west again. The unincorporated area of the village resides within the flood plain and valley north of the village, and is within Northville Township while the village itself sits far back from the river, upon a sandstone bluff, which has been mined for sand and gravel. The village's "Rod and Gun Club" actually sits within one of the old open-pit mines between the village and the northern bridge.
As of the 2020 census[5] there were 2,431 people, 403 households, and 281 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,126.51 inhabitants per square mile (434.95/km2). There were 330 housing units at an average density of 152.92 per square mile (59.04/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 48.66% White, 40.72% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 7.57% from other races, and 2.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.08% of the population.
There were 403 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.36% were married couples living together, 8.68% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.27% were non-families. 25.31% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 2.49.
The village's age distribution consisted of 8.6% under the age of 18, 15.1% from 18 to 24, 50.5% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 2.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 477.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 693.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $70,925, and the median income for a family was $76,979. Males had a median income of $59,167 versus $23,750 for females. The per capita income for the village was $11,121. About 8.9% of families and 13.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.0% of those under age 18 and 19.0% of those age 65 or over.
The community is also currently the home to a medium-security prison for the State of Illinois.
The community is served by the Sheridan Community Fire Department and Sheridan Police Department. The school district that serves the area is CUSD #2, which serves the Communities of Serena, Sheridan, Harding, Norway, and Baker; Schools are only in Sheridan, Serena, and Harding, however, with the High School in Serena.
The mailing area of the community (the area with a Sheridan address) extends toward the communities of Newark, Millington, Norway, Serena, Somonauk, and Sandwich. Regarding to what reference is being consulted, the community of Norway and its environs are actually referred to as being Sheridan, or the nearby community of Serena.
In 1996, a flood occurred after a heavy rain storm drenched the valley, from Aurora down to Dayton, resulting in the low-lying area of Sheridan to flood, and most notably, Sheridan's "Old Mill Inn" became a popular spot for people to canoe from the bridge which came from town, to the Old Mill during the flood. In February 1998, the river flooded again after a rain storm failed to drain into the frozen ground. In 2008, the remnants of Hurricane Ike flooded the valley yet again. During the April 17–18, 2013 rain event, which flooded many bodies of water in the Chicago metropolitan area, the river and Somonauk Creek flooded, with much of the water level considerably diminished after it crested later that weekend. The river valley both north and west of Sheridan is somewhat confined by sandstone bluffs on either side, which forces the river to rise, resulting in higher river levels. The village itself is largely untouched, as a half-mile gap between the main area of town and the valley, coupled with two abandoned gravel quarry pits sitting within the gap, protects the town. The village also sits approximately 30 feet above the river.
The Village of Sheridan was settled as early as 1833 when Robert Rowe and his wife settled on Section 5 and 8 in what is now Mission Township. Prior to this, in 1826 Jesse Walker established a mission at the head of Mission Creek, just three miles from the present town of Sheridan. He became the first white settler in what is now Mission Township. In 1834, a Cholera Epidemic swept through the community, with a cemetery South of town near the present day prison as proof of this event. In 1844 Mission Point was established with the vote for a President and Vice-President. Mission Point became known as Rowes Station in 1863, the Rowe farm consisted of three houses. Finally, in the summer of 1869 the village was platted and named Sheridan after General Phillip Sheridan. On June 24, 1872, the town of Sheridan voted forty-five to one to incorporate under the Old Statute of the State of Illinois. On June 29 of that same year, the first election of the Board of Trustees was held. The following seal was adopted: "Town Seal, Sheridan, Illinois. Incorporated, June 29, 1872". The township's first post office building actually resided on the property of a farm, located a mile east of town, off of E 2650th Road. The post office served the community until a Post Office was constructed in Sheridan, and the rest of the township was served either by the communities of Millington, Newark, Sheridan, Sandwich, or by rural routes.
As time progressed, the community grew, and the latter half of the 20th century saw expansive growth of local businesses, as there were a hardware store, two banks, a grocery store, two barber shops, two gas stations, three restaurants, and a tire center. However, over the subsequent years from 1995 to the present, many of the local businesses had either relocated or closed. Competition from nearby Ottawa, Sandwich, and Plano closed or diminished the ability to draw local residents to buying locally, resulting in local businesses having a hard time keeping business.
The community of Norway sits to the south of Sheridan at the intersection of Illinois Route 71 and County Highway 3. Due to the community's status as an unincorporated community in the State of Illinois, the community does not have a local government, fire district, school district, or local policing or postal services. Most of the services are provided by Sheridan, while the school district, (CUSD #2) serves the area, and the Serena Fire Protection District covers the community and has a small station located in Norway. Postal addresses are designated in Norway as either being Sheridan or Serena, since both communities have postal service, and both communities are no more than six miles away.
Law and government
Townships
The Village of Sheridan resides within two townships, Mission Township and Northville Township. The main area of town resides within Mission Township, while the periphery area of town extends to Northville Township in the north and west.
Education
The village is covered by Community Unit School District #2, which is based out of neighboring Serena. The school district was formed by the combination of Sheridan, Serena, and Harding Schools. Currently, Serena High School is the only high school in the district, while there are three elementary schools in the three communities of the district. Serena High School is in the Little Ten Conference of the IHSA Athletic Program. Sheridan had a high school until 1939, when Sheridan High School was closed to combine with Serena and Harding. Sheridan High School was a member of the Little Ten Conference between 1930 until the formation of District 2. Serena has been a member of the Conference since 1939.
Infrastructure
Health systems
Sheridan is served by two hospitals, Valley West Community Hospital, (formerly Sandwich Community Hospital, or SCH), run by Northwestern Medicine's regional division, KishHealth, which is located in Sandwich, some six miles away, and also by OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center, (formerly Ottawa Regional and Community Hospital of Ottawa, or CHO), which is run by OSF Healthcare. There are higher-level trauma centers located in Aurora and Peoria.
Transportation
The Illinois Railway runs through the center of town. Sheridan is near a State Highway, and two US Highways. Two County Highways (C. R. 32 and C. R. 3) run through town, and another (C. R. 2) is a mile to the west of town.
LaSalle County is a county located within the Fox Valley and Illinois River Valley regions of the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 Census, it had a population of 109,658. Its county seat and largest city is Ottawa. LaSalle County is part of the Ottawa, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area of Northern Illinois.
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 100,420. Its county seat is Sycamore. DeKalb County is part of the Chicago–Naperville–Elgin, IL–IN–WI Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Hazel Crest is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 13,382 at the 2020 census.
Sandwich is a city in DeKalb and Kendall counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. Its population was 7,421 at the 2010 census and 7,221 at the 2020 census.
Somonauk is a village in DeKalb and LaSalle Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 1,786 at the 2020 Census, down from 1,893 at the 2010 Census.
Millington is a village in Kendall and LaSalle counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 617 at the 2020 census, down from 665 at the 2010 census.
Northville Township is a charter township in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. A western suburb of Detroit, Northville Township is located roughly 27 miles (43.5 km) northwest of downtown Detroit, and 20 miles (32.2 km) northeast of Ann Arbor. As of the 2020 census, the township had a population of 31,758. It is independent of the neighboring city of Northville.
Northville is a village in the northern part of the town of Northampton in Fulton County, New York, United States, northeast of Gloversville. The population was 993 at the 2020 census. It lies within Adirondack Park and serves as the southern terminus for the Northville-Placid Trail.
Somonauk Creek is a tributary of the Fox River, which it joins in the Northville Township part of Sheridan, Illinois, United States. Somonauk Creek is approximately 36 miles (58 km) in length, and its source is 3.5 mi (6 km) north of Waterman. It has been dammed to form Lake Holiday, south of the village of Somonauk. The lake is the second lake in the City of Sandwich, with the first, Lake Davis, having been drained in the early 1900s to create usable farmland. The community later needed a lake to replace the one it lost, so in agreement with the Village of Somonauk, the community decided to place a dam on Somonauk Creek to form the new lake. The lake was marketed to the suburbs of Chicago as a recreation spot, with the community later making it a permanent subdivision, with housing located around the whole lake.
The 14th congressional district of Illinois is currently represented by Democrat Lauren Underwood. It is located in northern Illinois, surrounding the outer northern and western suburbs of Chicago.
Sandwich Township is one of nineteen townships in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 7,510 and it contained 3,017 housing units. Sandwich Township was formed from a portion of Somonauk Township on July 14, 1896.
Somonauk Township is one of nineteen townships in DeKalb County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2020 census, its population was 2,006 and it contained 823 housing units.
Mission Township is located in LaSalle County, Illinois. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,972 and it contained 1,083 housing units.
Northville Township is located in LaSalle County, Illinois. As of the 2010 census, its population was 7,410 and it contained 3,143 housing units.
Serena Township is located in LaSalle County, Illinois. As of the 2010 census, its population was 1,138 and it contained 459 housing units. Serena Township changed its name from Warren Township in May, 1850.
Norway is an unincorporated community in Mission Township, LaSalle County, Illinois. Located along the Fox River, the community was the site of an early Norwegian-American settlement. Today it is the site of the State of Illinois Norwegian Settlers Memorial.
The Ottawa, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in north central Illinois, anchored by the city of Ottawa. Peru and Streator are former primary cities.
The Little Ten Conference is the oldest continuous high school athletic conference in the state of Illinois. Founded in 1919, it comprised the following small high schools in northern Illinois: Earlville, Hinckley, Leland, Paw Paw, Plano, Rollo, Sandwich, Shabbona, Somonauk, and Waterman. The conference is still in operation and currently consists of the following members: DePue, Earlville, Hinckley-Big Rock, Indian Creek, Kirkland Hiawatha, LaMoille, Leland, Newark, Serena, Somonauk, and the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA). Over the years, there have been a number of other area schools in the conference, including Malta.
Lake Holiday is a census-designated place located on Lake Holiday in Northville Township, LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. Its population was 5,687 as of the 2020 census.
Sandwich Community Unit School District #430 is a school district headquartered in Sandwich, Illinois, United States.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
