Knoxville, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Knoxville is a city in Knox County
, Illinois
, United States
. The population was 3,183 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Galesburg
Micropolitan Statistical Area
.
, at U.S. Highway 150 east of town and at Henderson Streen north of town. U.S. Highway 150 runs east and west through Knoxville and serves as the main business thoroughfare. Illinois Highway 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 Knoxville High School. Among the attractions in Knoxville are the historic buildings, Walnut Grove Farm, the Knox County Fair held in August, and the annual Knox County Scenic Drive held in October.
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 Ball 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 Dan Glee Ball was not discovered until decades after his death, when it was nearly destroyed. In 1832, Ball settled in Knoxville to open the first shop, which also served as the first post office. He was the first county clerk, circuit clerk, recorder, and probate judge, as well as shopkeeper and postmaster. Years later, as the house built around Ball'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 Ball's measured about 14' x 14' wide and 7'-8' high with 9" walnut or butternut logs, wooden door hinges, and clapboard shingles. The entire area of Ball's cabin and general store served as a kitchen while encased in LaFollette's home. A restoration in 1964 insured proper security and insulation that Ball 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 Dan Glee Ball 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, June–September. For more information contact Knoxville City Hall at (309) 289-2814
The Old Knox County Jail was the location of the only legal lynching in Knox County when John Osborne was hung 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.
, the city has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 3,183 people, 1,210 households, and 878 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,448.0 people per square mile (558.6/km²). There were 1,260 housing units at an average density of 573.2 per square mile (221.1/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.
Knox County, Illinois
Knox County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 52,919, which is a decrease of 5.2% from 55,836 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 3,183 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Galesburg
Galesburg, Illinois
Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County....
Micropolitan Statistical Area
Galesburg micropolitan area
The Galesburg 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....
.
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 Sanburn log cabin, and several other important buildings. The Knox County Fairgrounds is just north of Knoxville on Henderson Street. Knoxville is served with two exits on Interstate 74Interstate 74
Interstate 74 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an intersection with Interstate 80 in Davenport, Iowa; the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an intersection with Interstate 75 in Cincinnati, Ohio...
, at U.S. Highway 150 east of town and at Henderson Streen north of town. U.S. Highway 150 runs east and west through Knoxville and serves as the main business thoroughfare. Illinois Highway 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 Knoxville High School. Among the attractions in Knoxville are the historic buildings, Walnut Grove Farm, 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.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 Ball 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 Dan Glee Ball was not discovered until decades after his death, when it was nearly destroyed. In 1832, Ball settled in Knoxville to open the first shop, which also served as the first post office. He was the first county clerk, circuit clerk, recorder, and probate judge, as well as shopkeeper and postmaster. Years later, as the house built around Ball'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 Ball's measured about 14' x 14' wide and 7'-8' high with 9" walnut or butternut logs, wooden door hinges, and clapboard shingles. The entire area of Ball's cabin and general store served as a kitchen while encased in LaFollette's home. A restoration in 1964 insured proper security and insulation that Ball 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 Dan Glee Ball 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, June–September. For more information contact Knoxville City Hall at (309) 289-2814
The Old Knox County Jail was the location of the only legal lynching in Knox County when John Osborne was hung March 14, 1873, for the murder and sodomy of Adelia M. Mathews, Yates City.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
stayed in Knoxville on his way to his debate with Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen Arnold Douglas was an American politician from the western state of Illinois, and was the Northern Democratic Party nominee for President in 1860. He lost to the Republican Party's candidate, Abraham Lincoln, whom he had defeated two years earlier in a Senate contest following a famed...
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
Knoxville is located at 40°54′27"N 90°16′58"W (40.907526, -90.282691). According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 city has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²), all of it land.
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 3,183 people, 1,210 households, and 878 families residing in the city. 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 1,448.0 people per square mile (558.6/km²). There were 1,260 housing units at an average density of 573.2 per square mile (221.1/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
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 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
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, 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
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 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
- Armando GhitallaArmando GhitallaArmando Ghitalla was an American orchestral trumpeter. He studied at the Juilliard School, and performed in the New York City Opera, the New York City Ballet, and the Houston Symphony. He was a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra for twenty eight years, and served as principal trumpet for...
, trumpet player with the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops, graduated from Knoxville High School (1942). - Justin HartleyJustin HartleyJustin Scott Hartley is an American actor, writer and director. He is best known for his roles of Fox Crane on the NBC daytime soap opera Passions, and as Oliver Queen/Green Arrow on the WB/CW Superman-inspired series Smallville....
, actor known for roles on PassionsPassionsPassions is an American television soap opera which aired on NBC from July 5, 1999 to September 7, 2007 and on The 101 Network from September 17, 2007 to August 7, 2008....
and SmallvilleSmallvilleSmallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
, born in Knoxville (1977). - James KnoxJames Knox (Illinois)James Knox was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.Born in Canajoharie, New York, Knox attended Hamilton College, Clinton, New York, and was graduated from Yale College in 1830.He studied law....
, congressman. - Charles Wesley LeffingwellCharles Wesley LeffingwellCharles Wesley Leffingwell was an author, educator, and Episcopal priest born in Ellington, Connecticut. He was a descendant of Thomas Leffingwell, known as one of the founders of Norwich, Connecticut....
Episcopal priest, writer, and educator - Ernest de Koven LeffingwellErnest de Koven LeffingwellErnest de Koven Leffingwell was an arctic explorer, geologist and Spanish-American War veteran.During the period from 1906 to 1914, Leffingwell spent 9 summers and 6 winters on the Arctic coast of Alaska, making 31 trips by dog sled and/or small boats. He created the first accurate map of a large...
, explorer. - James Knox TaylorJames Knox TaylorJames Knox Taylor was Supervising Architect of the United States Department of the Treasury from 1897 to 1912. His name is listed ex officio as supervising architect of hundreds of federal buildings built throughout the United States during the period.-Early career:The son of H...
, architect. - Polly WolfePolly WolfeRoy Chamberlain Wolfe was a Major League Baseball outfielder. He played parts of two seasons in the majors, and , for the Chicago White Sox.-Sources:...
, major league baseball outfielder - Matt WilsonMatt WilsonMatthew Wilson may refer to:* Matt Wilson , Irish international footballer of 1880s.* Matt Wilson , of Trip Shakespeare and the Flops* Matt Wilson , New York jazz drummer & composer* Matthew Wilson, British rally driver...
, Jazz Musician - Robert H. "Three-Inch" BirchRobert H. BirchRobert H. "Three-Fingered" Birch was a 19th-century American adventurer, soldier and prospector. He was a member of the infamous "Banditti of the Prairie" in his youth, whose involvement in the torture-murder of George Davenport in 1845 led to his turning state's evidence against his co-conspirators...
, a member of the infamous "Banditti of the PrairieBanditti of the PrairieThe Banditti of the Prairie also, known as "The Prairie Bandits," "Pirates of the Prairie," "Prairie Pirates," or simply "The Banditti," in the U.S. state of Illinois, were a group of loose-knit outlaw gangs during the early-mid-19th century...
," he was an accomplice in the 1845 torture-murder of Colonel George DavenportGeorge DavenportColonel George Davenport was a 19th-century American frontiersman, trader and US Army officer. A prominent and well-known settler in the Iowa Territory, he was one of the earliest settlers in Rock Island and spent much of his life involved in the early settlement of the Mississippi Valley and the...
.