Arlington, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Arlington is a village in Bureau County
, Illinois
, United States
. The population was 211 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Ottawa
–Streator
Micropolitan Statistical Area, located east of the Quad Cities, north of Peoria and Galesburg, west of LaSalle and Peru, and southwest of Rockford and Chicago.
. The businesses included a mattress factory, beer brewery, numerous restaurants, a brothel, and many others. The mayor at the time was from New York, and changed the town's name to Arlington, after the town of Arlington, NY. Arlington was about the size of Peru, Illinois
.
On November 13, 1909, a fire in a mine shaft killed 259 miners, young and old, at the Cherry coal mine. Authorities sealed the mine to contain the fire, trapping many rescue workers inside. When the mine was opened a week later only twenty men had survived of the hundreds involved. The 1909 Cherry Mine disaster influenced early worker's compensation laws and labor practices in the coal mining
industry. At the time Illinois had no laws governing working conditions for miners. Arlington's growth slowed drastically after this occurrence.
In the 1950s a tornado destroyed most of Arlington. Many people moved away from the town at this time. Today Arlington has a population of about 250. Many of the businesses and most of the homes have been shut down, deserted, or demolished. Many areas previously inhabited are now corn and bean fields. Some of the abandoned homes' foundations, and evidence of their former occupants, are still visible in these fields.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 0.4 square miles (1 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 211 people, 78 households, and 51 families residing in the village. The population density
was 493.4 people per square mile (189.5/km²). There were 88 housing units at an average density of 205.8 per square mile (79.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 92.42% White, 0.95% Native American, 0.95% Asian, 5.69% from other races
. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.16% of the population.
There were 78 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples
living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.47.
In the village the population was spread out with 32.7% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $27,292, and the median income for a family was $38,125. Males had a median income of $22,292 versus $18,438 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $12,148. About 10.2% of families and 13.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.1% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those sixty five or over.
Bureau County, Illinois
Bureau County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 34,978, which is a decrease of 1.5% from 35,503 in 2000. Its county seat is Princeton. Bureau County is part of the Ottawa–Streator Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, 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 211 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Ottawa
Ottawa, Illinois
Ottawa is a city located at the confluence of the Illinois River and Fox River in LaSalle County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 18,786...
–Streator
Streator, Illinois
Streator is a city in LaSalle and partially in Livingston counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city is situated on the Vermilion River approximately southwest of Chicago, Illinois in the prairie and farm land of north-central Illinois. It is the center of the geographic region known as...
Micropolitan Statistical Area, located east of the Quad Cities, north of Peoria and Galesburg, west of LaSalle and Peru, and southwest of Rockford and Chicago.
History
In the early 1900s, Arlington, which was then called 'Lost Grove', was experiencing rapid growth and development. Many companies set up shop to profit from the people flocking to the jobs at the coal mines in this area of 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 businesses included a mattress factory, beer brewery, numerous restaurants, a brothel, and many others. The mayor at the time was from New York, and changed the town's name to Arlington, after the town of Arlington, NY. Arlington was about the size of Peru, Illinois
Peru, Illinois
Peru is a city in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 10,295 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Ottawa–Streator Micropolitan Statistical Area...
.
On November 13, 1909, a fire in a mine shaft killed 259 miners, young and old, at the Cherry coal mine. Authorities sealed the mine to contain the fire, trapping many rescue workers inside. When the mine was opened a week later only twenty men had survived of the hundreds involved. The 1909 Cherry Mine disaster influenced early worker's compensation laws and labor practices in the coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
industry. At the time Illinois had no laws governing working conditions for miners. Arlington's growth slowed drastically after this occurrence.
In the 1950s a tornado destroyed most of Arlington. Many people moved away from the town at this time. Today Arlington has a population of about 250. Many of the businesses and most of the homes have been shut down, deserted, or demolished. Many areas previously inhabited are now corn and bean fields. Some of the abandoned homes' foundations, and evidence of their former occupants, are still visible in these fields.
Geography
Arlington is located at 41°28′20"N 89°14′49"W (41.472353, -89.246989).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 0.4 square miles (1 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 211 people, 78 households, and 51 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 493.4 people per square mile (189.5/km²). There were 88 housing units at an average density of 205.8 per square mile (79.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 92.42% White, 0.95% Native American, 0.95% Asian, 5.69% 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...
. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.16% of the population.
There were 78 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% 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, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.47.
In the village the population was spread out with 32.7% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $27,292, and the median income for a family was $38,125. Males had a median income of $22,292 versus $18,438 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 $12,148. About 10.2% of families and 13.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.1% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those sixty five or over.
Notable Residents
- Mike PrendergastMike Prendergast (baseball)Michael "Mike" Thomas Prendergast was a pitcher in Major League Baseball and his nickname was "Iron Mike". Mike's parents were Jeremiah Prendergast and Catherine Louise Corcoran, both natives of County Waterford, Ireland...
, born in 1888. A major league baseball player.