Urbana, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Urbana is the county seat
of Champaign County, Illinois
, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,250. Urbana is the tenth-most populous city in Illinois outside of the Chicago metropolitan area.
Most of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
campus is located here.
According to the 2000 United States Census Bureau
, the city had a total area of 10.5 square miles (27.2 km²), of which 0.10% is water body
. City planning maps from January 2010 indicate that the total area is now 11.7 square miles (30.3 km²).
Urbana borders the city of Champaign
. The main campus of the University of Illinois
is situated on this border. Together, these two cities are often referred to as Urbana-Champaign (the designation used by the University), Champaign-Urbana (the more common usage, due to the larger size of Champaign) or the nickname "Chambana". Urbana, Champaign, and the nearby village of Savoy
form the Champaign-Urbana Metropolitan Area
.
, and 2.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.54% of the population.
There were 14,327 households, of which 20.1% (~2880) households had children under the age of 18. Of the total, only 32.2% (~4613) households were cohabiting married couples, 8.7% (~1246) had a female head of household, and 56.6% (~8109) were non-families. 36.6% (~5244) households were a single person living alone and 8.1% (~1160) were a person 65 years of age or older living alone. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.83.
In 2000, the population distribution of Urbana was: 14.9% under the age of 18, 36.2% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 13.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females there were 111.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,819, and the median income for a family was $42,655. Males had a median income of $32,827 versus $26,349 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,969. About 13.3% of families and 27.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.5% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
. Most of the University of Illinois campus is located within the Urbana city limits.
(University Avenue) and U.S. 45
(Vine Street-Cunningham Avenue).
Most of Urbana lies south of I-74
. There are three exits (from west to east): Lincoln, Cunningham and University. The Lincoln exit is closest to the University of Illinois, while the Cunningham exit goes to downtown Urbana. The University exit goes to downtown Urbana as well as Illinois Route 130
to Philo
.
The Norfolk Southern
operates an east to west line through Urbana. The NS line connects industries in eastern Urbana to the Norfolk Southern main line at Mansfield, Illinois
, west of Champaign. The line now operated by Norfolk Southern is the former Peoria & Eastern Railway, later operated as part of the Big Four (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway
), New York Central, Penn Central
, and Conrail systems, being sold by Conrail to Norfolk Southern in 1996. Construction of the line was begun by the Danville, Urbana, Bloomington and Pekin Railroad. This short-lived entity became part of the Indianapolis, Bloomington and Western Railway before the railroad was completed. A branch line of the Norfolk and Western Railway
used to connect Urbana with the main line from Danville to Decatur at Sidney, Illinois
, but this was first rerouted and later closed.
Willard Airport serves the city.
, of the strong-mayor form. The city council has seven members, each elected from a different ward. The mayor is elected in a citywide vote.
The Market at the Square (otherwise known as the Farmers' Market) has been a community event in Urbana since 1979. Every Saturday morning from some time in May to some time in November, dozens of vendors set up shop in the Lincoln Square parking lot in downtown Urbana. They primarily sell local produce (including corn, tomatoes, lettuce and watermelons), but one can also find local crafts, music, kettle corn and booths for various community and political organizations.
The Urbana Free Library is located in the downtown area. The library is one of the first public libraries in Illinois and was founded in 1874. The library houses historical archives of Champaign County which can be used for genealogical research. The historic building which houses the library was built in 1918. A major new addition was opened in 2005.
The library is publicly funded and receives additional support from about 600 people who have joined "The Friends of the Urbana Free Library".
, run by the Celebration Company, hosts live performances.
.
The first Urbana Sweetcorn Festival was held in August 1975 in the Busey Bank parking lot in downtown Urbana. It was a community event put on by employees of Busey Bank. Since then the Sweetcorn Festival has continued to grow. The Urbana Business Association is now responsible for the planning of the festival, over the years adding a local car show, an expanded family area, live music on multiple stages, food, vendors, beer, in the heart of downtown Urbana.
In addition to corn and beverages, the festival has offered a range of activities and events, including a display of antique and other collectors' cars and volksmarches, arts events, a dog show, and a book sale organized by the Friends of the Urbana Free Library.
Candlestick Lane is the name for a neighborhood in eastern Urbana. It is called Candlestick Lane because every year the residents decorate their yards for Christmas with lots of lights and figures. The tradition began in 1961 (maybe 1960) as a house-decorating contest sponsored by the Illinois Power Company.
In the 1968 film, 2001: A Space Odyssey
, Urbana was named as the location where the malfunctioning HAL 9000
computer of the ill-fated Discovery Mission to Jupiter
was programmed. The 1959 comedy
Some Like it Hot
also mentions Urbana. Near the beginning of this film, Jack Lemmon
's character, an unemployed bass player, suggests to Tony Curtis
, a saxophone player, that the two visit Urbana to play at the University of Illinois. Instead, the two musicians elected to join a women's band in Florida.
Urbana provides the setting for Bert I. Gordon
's 1957 science fiction
film, Beginning of the End
. Parodied on the television program, Mystery Science Theater 3000
, this movie features the unintentional creation of dangerous, giant grasshoppers as a result of agricultural research gone awry.
winner Richard Powers
set his novel Galatea 2.2
at the multidisciplinary Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. In Powers' novel Plowing the Dark
, the Realization Lab's 'Cavern' virtual reality
machine seems to be set in the Electronic Visualization Laboratory
at the University, where the CAVE
environment was first developed.
Spanish writer Javier Cercas
uses Urbana as the geographical background for two of his novels ("La velocidad de la luz" (2005) and "El inquilino" (1989)).
Urbana High School's current building was built in 1914. It was designed by architect Joseph Royer who also designed many other area buildings such as the Urbana Free Library and the Champaign County Court House. The architecture is of the Tudor style defined primarily by the towers over the main entrance and flattened point arches over the doors.
An addition was built in 1916, which included a gymnasium and swimming pool. Due to increasing enrollment, other additions were built in 1955 and in 1965. In 1988, an enclosed athletic area was added and the old gymnasium/pool wing was converted into classrooms. The entire building was also renovated to meet safety codes. The Urbana Park District Indoor Aquatic Center was built in 2003, adjoining Urbana High School and bringing the building to its current visage.
Film critic and Urbana native Roger Ebert
is a graduate of Urbana High School. During his senior year he was co-editor of the school newspaper, the Echo.
Urbana High School Sports Center will be better in 2011 with a new turf football field, new lights, new concession stand, new bleechers, new soccer fields, and a new press box.
located on the campus of the University of Illinois
in Urbana. It was founded in 1921.
in the 2005–2006 school year, as determined by scores in the Illinois Standards Achievement Test
. However, Urbana High School (by way of the Prairie State Achievement Examination
) did not. University Laboratory High School students do not take these tests because, despite the fact that University High is a public school, it is not part of a local school district.
and more than 50 well-established trees that are part of the Hickman Tree Walk.
Meadowbrook Park is located southeast of the Race Street and Windsor Road intersection. The park covers 130 acre (0.5260918 km²), including 80 of recreated Illinois tallgrass prairie
. Around the prairie restoration center of the park loops a wide concrete path, suitable for walking, running, and bicycling. Several small hills make the path unsuitable for inexperienced inline skaters. The path is adorned by about twenty large sculptures from local artists. A playground, shelter, and parking lot are located near the Windsor Road entrance. A community garden, an herbal garden, the Timpone Ornamental Tree Grove and a shelter are located near the Race Street entrance. The park also contains many streams which are among the first tributaries of the Embarras River
.
The Urbana Dog Park, located on East Perkins Road, is a place to walk one's dog without a leash.
The Anita Purves Nature Center, located on the north end of Crystal Lake Park, offers nature education programs.
To find about the other parks and recreational areas in Urbana, see Urbana Park District Facilities
The Urbana Indoor Aquatic Center is a public indoor pool operated by the Urbana Park District and Urbana School District. It is located between Urbana High School and Urbana Middle School.
Crystal Lake Pool is a public outdoor pool. It is located on Broadway Street, across from the Anita Purves Nature Center. It closed permanently after the summer 2008 season due to deteriorating conditions and concomitant safety issues.
Windsor Swim & Tennis Club is a privately owned facility in south Urbana that offers swimming lessons, day camp for kids, and more. The club closed permanently after the summer of 2009.
Campus Recreation Center East (CRCE)
has an indoor pool with a water slide, volleyball, basketball, and a hot tub. CRCE is owned by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
.
Freer Hall and Kenney Gym
both have indoor lap pools. These facilities are owned by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
.
Print
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Champaign County, Illinois
Champaign County, Illinois
Champaign County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 201,081, which is an increase of 11.9% from 179,669 in 2000.. It is the 10th most populous county in Illinois...
, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,250. Urbana is the tenth-most populous city in Illinois outside of the Chicago metropolitan area.
Most of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
campus is located here.
Geography
Urbana is located at 40°6′35"N 88°12′15"W (40.109665, -88.204247).According to the 2000 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 city had a total area of 10.5 square miles (27.2 km²), of which 0.10% is water body
Body of water
A body of water or waterbody is any significant accumulation of water, usually covering the Earth or another planet. The term body of water most often refers to large accumulations of water, such as oceans, seas, and lakes, but it may also include smaller pools of water such as ponds, puddles or...
. City planning maps from January 2010 indicate that the total area is now 11.7 square miles (30.3 km²).
Urbana borders the city of Champaign
Champaign, Illinois
Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of...
. The main campus of the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
is situated on this border. Together, these two cities are often referred to as Urbana-Champaign (the designation used by the University), Champaign-Urbana (the more common usage, due to the larger size of Champaign) or the nickname "Chambana". Urbana, Champaign, and the nearby village of Savoy
Savoy, Illinois
Savoy is a village in Champaign County, Illinois, United States, and a suburb of the city of Champaign, Illinois. The population was 7,280 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Savoy is located at ....
form the Champaign-Urbana Metropolitan Area
Champaign-Urbana Metropolitan Area
The Champaign-Urbana metropolitan area, also known as Champaign-Urbana, is a metropolitan area in east-central Illinois. It is the 191st largest metropolitan area in the U.S. It is composed of three counties, Champaign, Ford, and Piatt...
.
Demographics
According to the 2000 census, there were 36,395 people, 14,327 households, and 6,217 families residing in the city. The official 2000 Census population used is 37,362, however, because of an enumeration error during the original population count. The population density was 3,468.3 people per square mile (1,339.6/km²). There were 15,311 housing units at an average density of 1,459.1 per square mile (563.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 67.01% White, 14.34% African American, 0.18% Native American, 14.24% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.76% from other racesRace (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 2.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.54% of the population.
There were 14,327 households, of which 20.1% (~2880) households had children under the age of 18. Of the total, only 32.2% (~4613) households were cohabiting married couples, 8.7% (~1246) had a female head of household, and 56.6% (~8109) were non-families. 36.6% (~5244) households were a single person living alone and 8.1% (~1160) were a person 65 years of age or older living alone. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.83.
In 2000, the population distribution of Urbana was: 14.9% under the age of 18, 36.2% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 13.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females there were 111.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,819, and the median income for a family was $42,655. Males had a median income of $32,827 versus $26,349 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 $15,969. About 13.3% of families and 27.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.5% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
Student Population
Urbana houses a significant fraction of the roughly 40,000 college students attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
. Most of the University of Illinois campus is located within the Urbana city limits.
Transportation
Downtown Urbana is located southwest of the intersection of its two busiest streets: U.S. 150U.S. Route 150
U.S. Route 150 is a 571 mile long northwest-southeast United States highway, signed as east–west. It runs from U.S. Route 6 outside of Moline, Illinois to U.S. Route 25 in Mount Vernon, Kentucky .-Illinois:In the state of Illinois, U.S. 150 runs from the Quad City International Airport at U.S...
(University Avenue) and U.S. 45
U.S. Route 45
U.S. Route 45 is a north–south United States highway. US 45 is a border-to-border route, from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico. A sign at the highway's northern terminus notes the total distance as ....
(Vine Street-Cunningham Avenue).
Most of Urbana lies south of I-74
Interstate 74 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, Interstate 74 is a major northwest-southeast Interstate Highway that runs across the northern portion of the state. It runs from the Iowa state line at the Mississippi River southeast to the Indiana state line east of Danville, Illinois. This is a distance of 220.34...
. There are three exits (from west to east): Lincoln, Cunningham and University. The Lincoln exit is closest to the University of Illinois, while the Cunningham exit goes to downtown Urbana. The University exit goes to downtown Urbana as well as Illinois Route 130
Illinois Route 130
Illinois Route 130 is a north–south state road in eastern Illinois. It runs from Illinois Route 1 in Grayville north to Interstate 74 in Urbana. This is a distance of . Illinois 130 is the main north–south road through Charleston, the home of Eastern Illinois University.- Route...
to Philo
Philo, Illinois
Philo is a village about nine miles south of Urbana in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,466 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Philo is located at...
.
The Norfolk Southern
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
operates an east to west line through Urbana. The NS line connects industries in eastern Urbana to the Norfolk Southern main line at Mansfield, Illinois
Mansfield, Illinois
Mansfield is a village in Piatt County, Illinois in the United States. The population was 949 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mansfield is located at ....
, west of Champaign. The line now operated by Norfolk Southern is the former Peoria & Eastern Railway, later operated as part of the Big Four (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway
Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway
The Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway, also known as the Big Four Railroad and commonly abbreviated CCC&StL, was a railroad company in the Midwestern United States....
), New York Central, Penn Central
Penn Central Transportation
The Penn Central Transportation Company, commonly abbreviated to Penn Central, was an American railroad company that operated from 1968 until 1976. It was created by the merger on February 1, 1968, of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central Railroad...
, and Conrail systems, being sold by Conrail to Norfolk Southern in 1996. Construction of the line was begun by the Danville, Urbana, Bloomington and Pekin Railroad. This short-lived entity became part of the Indianapolis, Bloomington and Western Railway before the railroad was completed. A branch line of the Norfolk and Western Railway
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
used to connect Urbana with the main line from Danville to Decatur at Sidney, Illinois
Sidney, Illinois
Sidney is a village in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,233 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Sidney is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
, but this was first rerouted and later closed.
Willard Airport serves the city.
Government
Urbana has Mayor-Council governmentMayor-council government
The mayor–council government system, sometimes called the mayor–commission government system, is one of the two most common forms of local government for municipalities...
, of the strong-mayor form. The city council has seven members, each elected from a different ward. The mayor is elected in a citywide vote.
Market at the Square
Urbana Free Library
The library is publicly funded and receives additional support from about 600 people who have joined "The Friends of the Urbana Free Library".
Station Theatre
Station TheatreStation Theatre (Urbana)
The Station Theatre is a small independent dramatics theatre located in downtown Urbana, Illinois. It was converted into a theatre from a Big Four Railway passenger station in the late 1960s. At that time, it was called The Depot...
, run by the Celebration Company, hosts live performances.
The Urbana Sweetcorn Festival
The Urbana Sweetcorn Festival is an annual festival in Urbana, IllinoisIllinois
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,...
.
The first Urbana Sweetcorn Festival was held in August 1975 in the Busey Bank parking lot in downtown Urbana. It was a community event put on by employees of Busey Bank. Since then the Sweetcorn Festival has continued to grow. The Urbana Business Association is now responsible for the planning of the festival, over the years adding a local car show, an expanded family area, live music on multiple stages, food, vendors, beer, in the heart of downtown Urbana.
In addition to corn and beverages, the festival has offered a range of activities and events, including a display of antique and other collectors' cars and volksmarches, arts events, a dog show, and a book sale organized by the Friends of the Urbana Free Library.
Candlestick Lane
Lincoln Hotel
The Lincoln Hotel is connected to Lincoln Square Mall, an indoor walking mall, in the center of Urbana. The hotel was built in 1924 in a mixture of classic European styles. It was completely remodeled in 1977, and a number of new rooms were added to the top floor. It was officially closed and auctioned off in 2009.Points of interest
- University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignThe University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
- University of Illinois ArboretumUniversity of Illinois ArboretumThe University of Illinois Arboretum is a new arboretum, with gardens, currently under construction on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus. It is located at the intersection of Florida and Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, Illinois, and open daily without charge.The arboretum is being...
- University of Illinois Conservatory and Plant CollectionUniversity of Illinois Conservatory and Plant CollectionThe University of Illinois Conservatory and Plant Collection is a conservatory and botanical garden located in the Plant Sciences Laboratory Greenhouses, on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus, 1201 South Dorner Drive, Urbana, Illinois...
- Krannert Center for the Performing ArtsKrannert Center for the Performing ArtsKrannert Center for the Performing Arts was built in 1969 in Urbana, Illinois, USA, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as an educational and performing arts complex. Herman C...
Urbana in film
2001: A Space Odyssey (film)
2001: A Space Odyssey is a 1968 epic science fiction film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, and co-written by Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke, partially inspired by Clarke's short story The Sentinel...
, Urbana was named as the location where the malfunctioning HAL 9000
HAL 9000
HAL 9000 is the antagonist in Arthur C. Clarke's science fiction Space Odyssey saga. HAL is an artificial intelligence that interacts with the astronaut crew of the Discovery One spacecraft, usually represented as a red television-camera eye found throughout the ship...
computer of the ill-fated Discovery Mission to Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
was programmed. The 1959 comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
Some Like it Hot
Some Like It Hot
Some Like It Hot is an American comedy film, made in 1958 and released in 1959, which was directed by Billy Wilder and starred Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and George Raft. The supporting cast includes Joe E. Brown, Pat O'Brien and Nehemiah Persoff. The film is a remake by Wilder and I....
also mentions Urbana. Near the beginning of this film, Jack Lemmon
Jack Lemmon
John Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III was an American actor and musician. He starred in more than 60 films including Some Like It Hot, The Apartment, Mister Roberts , Days of Wine and Roses, The Great Race, Irma la Douce, The Odd Couple, Save the Tiger John Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III (February 8, 1925June...
's character, an unemployed bass player, suggests to Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis was an American film actor whose career spanned six decades, but had his greatest popularity during the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in over 100 films in roles covering a wide range of genres, from light comedy to serious drama...
, a saxophone player, that the two visit Urbana to play at the University of Illinois. Instead, the two musicians elected to join a women's band in Florida.
Urbana provides the setting for Bert I. Gordon
Bert I. Gordon
Bert I. Gordon is an American film director most famous for such science fiction and horror B-movies as The Amazing Colossal Man and Village of the Giants....
's 1957 science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
film, Beginning of the End
Beginning of the End
Beginning of the End is a 1957 American science fiction film directed by Bert I. Gordon and starring Peter Graves and Peggie Castle. The film is about an agricultural scientist who has successfully grown gigantic vegetables using radiation...
. Parodied on the television program, Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
, this movie features the unintentional creation of dangerous, giant grasshoppers as a result of agricultural research gone awry.
Urbana in literature
University of Illinois English Professor and National Book AwardNational Book Award
The National Book Awards are a set of American literary awards. Started in 1950, the Awards are presented annually to American authors for literature published in the current year. In 1989 the National Book Foundation, a nonprofit organization which now oversees and manages the National Book...
winner Richard Powers
Richard Powers
Richard Powers is an American novelist whose works explore the effects of modern science and technology.- Life and work :...
set his novel Galatea 2.2
Galatea 2.2
Galatea 2.2 is a novel by Richard Powers. The novel is pseudo-autobiographical: the narrator is named Richard Powers and there is discussion of the four novels he wrote before Galatea 2.2 along with other references to his real biography. Richard Powers creates a version of himself for the novel...
at the multidisciplinary Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. In Powers' novel Plowing the Dark
Plowing the Dark
Plowing the Dark is a novel by American writer Richard Powers. It follows two narrative threads; one of an American teacher turned Lebanese prisoner of war, the other the construction of a high-tech virtual reality simulator.-Plot:...
, the Realization Lab's 'Cavern' virtual reality
Virtual reality
Virtual reality , also known as virtuality, is a term that applies to computer-simulated environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds...
machine seems to be set in the Electronic Visualization Laboratory
Electronic Visualization Laboratory
The Electronic Visualization Laboratory is a cross-disciplinary research lab at the University of Illinois at Chicago. It brings together faculty and students from the Art and Computer Science departments of UIC...
at the University, where the CAVE
Cave Automatic Virtual Environment
A Cave Automatic Virtual Environment is an immersive virtual reality environment where projectors are directed to three, four, five or six of the walls of a room-sized cube...
environment was first developed.
Spanish writer Javier Cercas
Javier Cercas
Javier Cercas is a writer and, since 1989, a Professor of Spanish literature at the University of Girona, Spain. He is a frequent contributor to the Catalan edition of El País and the Sunday supplement...
uses Urbana as the geographical background for two of his novels ("La velocidad de la luz" (2005) and "El inquilino" (1989)).
Urbana High School
An addition was built in 1916, which included a gymnasium and swimming pool. Due to increasing enrollment, other additions were built in 1955 and in 1965. In 1988, an enclosed athletic area was added and the old gymnasium/pool wing was converted into classrooms. The entire building was also renovated to meet safety codes. The Urbana Park District Indoor Aquatic Center was built in 2003, adjoining Urbana High School and bringing the building to its current visage.
Film critic and Urbana native Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
is a graduate of Urbana High School. During his senior year he was co-editor of the school newspaper, the Echo.
Urbana High School Sports Center will be better in 2011 with a new turf football field, new lights, new concession stand, new bleechers, new soccer fields, and a new press box.
University Laboratory High School
Not part of the Urbana School District, University Laboratory High School is a publicly funded laboratory schoolLaboratory school
A laboratory school or demonstration school is an elementary or secondary school operated in association with a university, college, or other teacher education institution and used for the training of future teachers, educational experimentation, educational research, and professional...
located on the campus of the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
in Urbana. It was founded in 1921.
Urbana Middle School
Urbana Middle School was first used as Urbana Junior High School in 1953. Since then, the school has been renovated for space in 2003. The school currently serves 840 students from grades 6 to 8 . The school is renowned for its band program, which went to the Illinois State Band Competition (Superstate) twelve years in a row from 1994–2006.Urbana Elementary schools
The Elementary schools in Urbana are: Leal, King, Prairie, Thomas Paine, Wiley, and Yankee Ridge.Test scores
Urbana Middle School and all elementary schools in the Urbana School District passed their Adequate Yearly ProgressAdequate Yearly Progress
Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, is a measurement defined by the United States federal No Child Left Behind Act that allows the U.S. Department of Education to determine how every public school and school district in the country is performing academically according to results on standardized...
in the 2005–2006 school year, as determined by scores in the Illinois Standards Achievement Test
Illinois Standards Achievement Test
The Illinois State Achievement Test measures individual student achievement relative to the Illinois Learning Standards. Results of this score are applied to the No Child Left Behind Act, for purposes of identifying failing schools....
. However, Urbana High School (by way of the Prairie State Achievement Examination
Prairie State Achievement Examination
The Prairie State Achievement Examination is a two-day standardized test taken by all High School Juniors in the U.S. state of Illinois. On the first day, students take the ACT, and on the second day, a WorkKeys examination and Illinois State Board of Education-developed science examination....
) did not. University Laboratory High School students do not take these tests because, despite the fact that University High is a public school, it is not part of a local school district.
Parks
Carle Park, established in 1909, is located at Indiana and Garfield, just west of Urbana High School in Central Urbana. Measuring 8.3 acres (33,588.9 m²), it contains a statue entitled Lincoln the Lawyer by Lorado TaftLorado Taft
Lorado Zadoc Taft was an American sculptor, writer and educator. Taft was born in Elmwood, Illinois in 1860 and died in his home studio in Chicago in 1936.-Early years and education:...
and more than 50 well-established trees that are part of the Hickman Tree Walk.
Meadowbrook Park is located southeast of the Race Street and Windsor Road intersection. The park covers 130 acre (0.5260918 km²), including 80 of recreated Illinois tallgrass prairie
Tallgrass prairie
The tallgrass prairie is an ecosystem native to central North America, with fire as its primary periodic disturbance. In the past, tallgrass prairies covered a large portion of the American Midwest, just east of the Great Plains, and portions of the Canadian Prairies. They flourished in areas with...
. Around the prairie restoration center of the park loops a wide concrete path, suitable for walking, running, and bicycling. Several small hills make the path unsuitable for inexperienced inline skaters. The path is adorned by about twenty large sculptures from local artists. A playground, shelter, and parking lot are located near the Windsor Road entrance. A community garden, an herbal garden, the Timpone Ornamental Tree Grove and a shelter are located near the Race Street entrance. The park also contains many streams which are among the first tributaries of the Embarras River
Embarras River
The Embarras River is a tributary of the Wabash River in southeastern Illinois in the United States. The waters of the Embarras reach the Gulf of Mexico via the Wabash, Ohio, and Mississippi rivers. The river drains a watershed of approximately in an agricultural region...
.
The Urbana Dog Park, located on East Perkins Road, is a place to walk one's dog without a leash.
The Anita Purves Nature Center, located on the north end of Crystal Lake Park, offers nature education programs.
To find about the other parks and recreational areas in Urbana, see Urbana Park District Facilities
Swimming Pools
Crystal Lake Pool is a public outdoor pool. It is located on Broadway Street, across from the Anita Purves Nature Center. It closed permanently after the summer 2008 season due to deteriorating conditions and concomitant safety issues.
Windsor Swim & Tennis Club is a privately owned facility in south Urbana that offers swimming lessons, day camp for kids, and more. The club closed permanently after the summer of 2009.
Campus Recreation Center East (CRCE)
UIUC Campus Recreation Center - East (CRCE)
The Campus Recreation Center - East, more commonly known as CRCE , is an athletic facility at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for students and members completed in 2004...
has an indoor pool with a water slide, volleyball, basketball, and a hot tub. CRCE is owned by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
.
Freer Hall and Kenney Gym
Kenney Gym
Kenney Gym is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Urbana, Illinois, on the campus of the University of Illinois and is named after Harold E. Kenney. The arena opened in 1890 and was originally known as the Men's Gym Annex....
both have indoor lap pools. These facilities are owned by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
.
FM Radio
- 88.1 W201CK (Translates 90.7 KHRI) "Air 1Air 1Air1 is a Christian music radio network in the United States, operated by the non-profit organization EMF Broadcasting. Air 1 is essentially a Top-40 station with Christian Music - so many of the rules that commercial Top-40 stations use for musical rotation apply.-History:In 1986, KLRD began...
", Christian CHR - 88.7 WPCDWPCDWPCD is a radio station broadcasting an Alternative format. Licensed to Champaign, Illinois, USA, the station serves the Illinois college area. The station is currently owned by Parkland College and features programing from AP Radio....
, College Radio - 89.3 WGNJ, Religious
- 90.1 WEFTWEFTWEFT Champaign 90.1FM is a community radio station in Champaign, Illinois, founded in 1981 and owned by Prairie Air, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation. It has a wide range of programming, including music from nearly every genre, public affairs discussion, theater and arts, and more...
, Community RadioCommunity radioCommunity radio is a type of radio service, that offers a third model of radio broadcasting beyond commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting. Community stations can serve geographic communities and communities of interest...
, VarietyVariety (radio)The term variety as a radio format is loosely defined as a format that plays music across numerous genera.Freeform variety is associated with a wide range of programming including talk, sports, and music from a wide spectrum. This format is usually found on smaller, non-commercial... - 90.9 WILLWILLWILL is the callsign of the three public broadcasting stations owned by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and directly operated by its Division of Broadcasting...
, Classical musicClassical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
(RDSRadio Data SystemRadio Data System, or RDS, is a communications protocol standard for embedding small amounts of digital information in conventional FM radio broadcasts. RDS standardises several types of information transmitted, including time, station identification and programme information.Radio Broadcast Data...
), broadcasting from Urbana - 91.7 WBGLWBGLWBGL is a Christian radio station licensed to Champaign, Illinois and owned by the Illinois Bible Institute, the educational branch of the Illinois District Council of the Assemblies of God.-Relay stations:...
, Christian AC (RDS) - 92.5 WCFFWCFFWCFF is a radio station broadcasting a Adult Hits format. Licensed to Urbana, Illinois, USA, the station serves the Champaign area. The station is currently owned by Saga Communications of Illinois, LLC and features programing from CNN Radio...
"92.5 The Chief", Adult HitsAdult hitsAdult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
(RDS – Artist/Title) - 93.5 WEBX "93.5 The Source" Modern RockModern rockModern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...
(RDS) - 94.5 WLRWWLRWWLRW is a radio station broadcasting a Hot Adult Contemporary format. Licensed to Champaign, Illinois, USA, the station serves the Champaign, Decatur area. The station is currently owned by Saga Communications of Illinois, LLC and features programing from CNN Radio...
"Mix 94.5" Hot ACAdult contemporary musicAdult contemporary music is a broad style of popular music that ranges from lush 1950s and 1960s vocal music to predominantly ballad-heavy music with varying degrees of rock influence, as well as a radio format that plays such music....
(RDS – Artist/Title) (HD RadioHD RadioHD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
) - 95.3 WEVX "95.3 The Wolf" CountryCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
(RDS) - 96.1 WQQBWQQBWQQB is a mainstream CHR radio station broadcasting in the Champaign/Urbana, Illinois, radio market. The station is a class A licensed station transmitting from Rantoul, Illinois, at 3,800 watts and is owned by RadioStar, Inc....
"Q 96", CHR/Pop (RDS) - 97.5 WHMS-FM "Lite Rock 97.5" Adult ContemporaryAdult contemporary musicAdult contemporary music is a broad style of popular music that ranges from lush 1950s and 1960s vocal music to predominantly ballad-heavy music with varying degrees of rock influence, as well as a radio format that plays such music....
- 99.1 WYXYWYXYWYXY is a radio station licensed for Savoy, Illinois on 99.1 MHz and owned by Saga Communications' Illini Radio Group.WYXY formerly had the callsigns WIAI then WXLS. It was sold from IAI Broadcasting to Saga Communications in 2004 and changed its callsign to WXTT...
"Extra 99.1" RockRock musicRock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
(RDS – Artist/Title) - 100.3 WIXYWIXYWIXY is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Champaign, Illinois, USA, the station serves the Champaign-Urbana area...
"WIXY 100.3" CountryCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
(RDS – Artist/Title) - 100.9 WHPOWHPOWHPO is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. Licensed to Hoopeston, Illinois, USA, the station serves Iroquois County, Vermillion County, and Ford County, Illinois as well as Benton County, and Warren County, Indiana. WHPO is currently owned by Hoopeston Radio Inc....
"100.9 WHPO" CountryCountryA country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously... - 101.1 W266AF (Translates 90.9 WILLWILLWILL is the callsign of the three public broadcasting stations owned by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and directly operated by its Division of Broadcasting...
), Classical musicClassical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times... - 102.5 WGNN, Religious
- 103.9 W280DE (Translates 102.5 WGNN), Religious
- 104.5 WRFU-LPWRFU-LPWRFU-LP is a radio station broadcasting a variety music format. Licensed to Urbana, Illinois, USA, the station serves the Champaign area. The station is currently owned by the Socialist Forum....
"Radio Free Urbana", Community/Political Activism http://www.radiofreeurbana.org, broadcasting from Urbana - 105.5 WCZQWCZQWCZQ is a Rhythmic Contemporary station serving Champaign, Illinois. WCZQ broadcasts at 105.5 MHz with an ERP of 6 kW and is licensed to Monticello, Illinois. They are owned by Joyner Radio. The station has been a Rhythmic since 2002....
"Blazin" Hip Hop and R&B - 105.9 WGKCWGKCWGKC is a heritage Classic rock radio station licensed to Mahomet, Illinois and broadcasting in the Champaign-Urbana, Illinois radio market. The station is owned by RadioStar, Inc...
"Classic Rock 105.9 WGKC" Classic Rock - 107.1 WPGUWPGUWPGU 107.1 is the fully commercial student-run College radio station located at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It is operational 24-7, broadcasting alternative music and other programming throughout Champaign-Urbana and surrounding communities...
"Your True Alternative" AlternativeAlternative rockAlternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s... - 107.9 WUIL "U-Rock 107.9" Classic rockClassic rockClassic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
AM Radio
- 580 WILLWILLWILL is the callsign of the three public broadcasting stations owned by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and directly operated by its Division of Broadcasting...
, Public Radio, broadcasting from Urbana - 1400 WDWSWDWSWDWS is a News-Talk radio station in Champaign, Illinois. The station operates at 1 kW of power, and is owned by the News-Gazette, the primary newspaper in the Champaign-Urbana Metropolitan Area. The station provides news and information for the city, and agricultural information for...
, News/TalkTalk radioTalk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
(AM StereoAM stereoAM stereo is a term given to a series of mutually incompatible techniques for wireless radio broadcasting stereo audio in the AM band in a manner that is compatible with standard AM receivers...
) - 1460 WJCI, Hispanic
- 1580 WBCPWBCPWBCP is a radio station broadcasting an Urban Adult Contemporary music format. It is licensed to Urbana, Illinois and broadcasts to the Champaign, Illinois area. The station established in 1989 and is currently owned by P & C Enterprises, Inc....
, Urban Adult ContemporaryUrban Adult ContemporaryUrban adult contemporary is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have rap music on their playlists. The format was designed by Barry Mayo when he, Lee S. Simonson and Bill Pearson organized Broadcast... - 1660 Latino Radio Service Latino http://latinoradioservice
Analog Television
- 3 WCIA, CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
- 7 W07DD, Three Angels Network
- 12 WILLWILLWILL is the callsign of the three public broadcasting stations owned by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and directly operated by its Division of Broadcasting...
, PBS - 15 WICD "NewsChannel 15", ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
- 17 WANDWANDWAND, virtual channel 17, is an NBC-affiliated television station serving the Decatur–Springfield–Champaign area. It is owned by Block Communications...
, NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago... - 23 WBUIWBUIWBUI is a television station licensed to Decatur, Illinois and serving the Central Illinois market, including the cities of Springfield, Champaign, and Urbana. The station broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 22 from a transmitter in Oreana along I-72. WBUI is affiliated...
, The CWThe CW Television NetworkThe CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB... - 27 WCCUWRSP-TVWRSP-TV is the Fox-affiliated television station for Central Illinois licensed to Springfield. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 44 from a transmitter in Mechanicsburg. The station can also be seen on Mediacom and Comcast channel 7...
"Fox 55/27" - 34 W33AY, Trinity Broadcast Network
- 44 WBXC-CA, MTV 2MTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
- 49 WCIX "My WCFN TV", My Network TV
- 51 WEIUWEIU-TVWEIU-TV channel 51 is a Public Broadcasting Service member public television station in Charleston, Illinois. Its headquarters are at Eastern Illinois University, which is the origin of the call sign's letters. WEIU also airs EIU sporting events, such as football and basketball.-Technical...
, PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
Digital Television (DTV)
- 9 WILL-DT, PBS
- 18 WAND-DT, NBC
- 22 WBUI-DT, WB
- 26 WCCU-DT, Fox
- 41 WICD-DT, ABC
- 48 WCIA-DT, CBS
- 50 WEIU-DT, PBS
- The News-Gazette, daily local newspaper
- Daily IlliniDaily IlliniThe Daily Illini, commonly known as the DI, is an independent, student-run newspaper that has been published for the community of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign since 1871...
- Buzz Weekly
- The Booze NewsThe Booze NewsThe Booze News is a satirical newspaper founded at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in February 2004 by Atish Doshi and Derek Chin. The free paper, published weekly with a circulation of 20,000, is written, edited and distributed by students at UIUC...
- The Public I indie media newspaper
External links
- City of Urbana (official website)
- Urbana Free Library
- Champaign-Urbana Historic Built Environment Digital Image Collection
- Urbana Park District – local parks, pools, and other recreation
- Early History of Urbana City