Belle Rive, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Belle Rive is a village in Jefferson County
, Illinois
, United States
. The population was 371 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Mount Vernon
Micropolitan Statistical Area
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), all of it land.
. At that time there was a corporation in Mt. Vernon
that was attempting to build a rail line from St. Louis, Missouri
to Evansville, Indiana
. It seems likely that Grant was buying land in anticipation of the construction of the railroad, intending to build a town. This early attempt at building a railroad failed during a recession in the mid-1850s. Grant died in 1863, after being chased from Mt. Vernon by a mob objecting to his Confederate politics.
Belle Rive was founded in 1871, coinciding with the opening of the St. Louis & Southeastern Railroad
.
Belle Rive got its name from Louis St. Ange de Bellerive, who surrendered Illinois to the British in 1765. It is not clear if he was ever associated with the area near the village. See List of commandants of the Illinois Country.
Joseph Wall was one of the early settlers of Belle Rive. The Wall farm was to the southeast of the town. Joseph Wall was married to Edmund P. Grant's niece.
Belle Rive is home to the regionally-renowned Wilkey's Cafe. Serving a homestyle buffet, Wilkey's is a popular lunch spot for local farmers. In the past Utah Jazz head coach and local celebrity, Jerry Sloan has been seen eating in the small town eatery.
of 2000, there were 371 people, 147 households, and 109 families residing in the village. The population density
was 361.5 people per square mile (139.1/km²). There were 164 housing units at an average density of 159.8 per square mile (61.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.57% White, 0.54% African American, 0.81% Native American, and 1.08% from two or more races.
There were 147 households out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.7% were married couples
living together, 4.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.2% were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% 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 2.92.
In the village the population was spread out with 21.6% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $37,292, and the median income for a family was $41,719. Males had a median income of $28,438 versus $18,036 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $15,221. About 10.3% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.4% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.
Jefferson County, Illinois
Jefferson County is a county located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 38,827, which is a decrease of 3.0% from 40,045 in 2000...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 371 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon, Illinois
Mount Vernon is a city located near the center of Jefferson County, Illinois, in the United States. In the 2010 census, the city's reported population was 15,277 people....
Micropolitan Statistical Area
Mount Vernon, Illinois micropolitan area
The Mount Vernon Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in southern Illinois, anchored by the city of Mount Vernon....
.
Geography
Belle Rive is located at 38.232062°N 88.739940°W.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), all of it land.
History
In 1852, Edmund P. Grant bought about 480 acres (1.9 km²) of Federal land grants around what was to become Belle Rive. Grant was a wealthy land speculator from Montgomery County, TennesseeMontgomery County, Tennessee
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The county seat is Clarksville. The population was 172,331 at the 2010 census. It is one of the four counties included in the Clarksville, TN–KY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. At that time there was a corporation in Mt. Vernon
Mount Vernon, Illinois
Mount Vernon is a city located near the center of Jefferson County, Illinois, in the United States. In the 2010 census, the city's reported population was 15,277 people....
that was attempting to build a rail line from St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
to Evansville, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
. It seems likely that Grant was buying land in anticipation of the construction of the railroad, intending to build a town. This early attempt at building a railroad failed during a recession in the mid-1850s. Grant died in 1863, after being chased from Mt. Vernon by a mob objecting to his Confederate politics.
Belle Rive was founded in 1871, coinciding with the opening of the St. Louis & Southeastern Railroad
Louisville and Nashville Railroad
The Louisville and Nashville Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated freight and passenger services in the southeast United States.Chartered by the state of Kentucky in 1850, the L&N, as it was generally known, grew into one of the great success stories of American business...
.
Belle Rive got its name from Louis St. Ange de Bellerive, who surrendered Illinois to the British in 1765. It is not clear if he was ever associated with the area near the village. See List of commandants of the Illinois Country.
Joseph Wall was one of the early settlers of Belle Rive. The Wall farm was to the southeast of the town. Joseph Wall was married to Edmund P. Grant's niece.
Belle Rive is home to the regionally-renowned Wilkey's Cafe. Serving a homestyle buffet, Wilkey's is a popular lunch spot for local farmers. In the past Utah Jazz head coach and local celebrity, Jerry Sloan has been seen eating in the small town eatery.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 371 people, 147 households, and 109 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 361.5 people per square mile (139.1/km²). There were 164 housing units at an average density of 159.8 per square mile (61.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.57% White, 0.54% African American, 0.81% Native American, and 1.08% from two or more races.
There were 147 households out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 4.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.2% were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% 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 2.92.
In the village the population was spread out with 21.6% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $37,292, and the median income for a family was $41,719. Males had a median income of $28,438 versus $18,036 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $15,221. About 10.3% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.4% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.