Colchester, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Colchester is a city in McDonough County, Illinois
, United States
. The population was 1,493 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the provincial town of Colchester
, England.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), all of it land.
Colchester is home to Argyle Lake State Park
.
The mines in Colchester attracted immigrants from Pennsylvania. At first these included the descendants of Irish Protestant refugees from the Irish Rebellion of 1798
. Later they were joined by Irish Catholic refugees from the Irish Potato Famine.
During the 1920s, Colchester was the home of Henry "Kelly" Wagle, a bootlegger associated with Al Capone
. Wagle was involved in the production of alcohol, and transportation between Chicago and Kansas City
.
On September 11, 1921, members of the disgraced Chicago Black Sox
baseball team played with the Colchester team in a game against nearby Macomb
. Kelly Wagle paid to bring the players to Colchester.
of 2000, there were 1,493 people, 634 households, and 419 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,500.7 people per square mile (582.3/km²). There were 694 housing units at an average density of 697.6 per square mile (270.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 99.40% White, 0.07% Native American, 0.07% Asian, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.60% of the population.
There were 634 households out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples
living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 30.6% 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 2.32 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 85.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,283, and the median income for a family was $37,763. Males had a median income of $27,857 versus $19,211 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,354. About 5.0% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
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 1,493 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the provincial town of Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
, England.
Geography
Colchester is located at 40°25′31"N 90°47′32"W (40.425174, -90.792339).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 city has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), all of it land.
Colchester is home to Argyle Lake State Park
Argyle Lake State Park
Argyle Lake State Park is an Illinois state park located in Colchester, Illinois. The park is home to the Argyle Lake and of hiking trails and wooded campsites....
.
History
Coal was discovered near Colchester in the 1850s, but was named after Colchester, England, before coal was discovered. The connection to "coal" is purely coincidental.The mines in Colchester attracted immigrants from Pennsylvania. At first these included the descendants of Irish Protestant refugees from the Irish Rebellion of 1798
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
. Later they were joined by Irish Catholic refugees from the Irish Potato Famine.
During the 1920s, Colchester was the home of Henry "Kelly" Wagle, a bootlegger associated with Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
. Wagle was involved in the production of alcohol, and transportation between Chicago and Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
.
On September 11, 1921, members of the disgraced Chicago Black Sox
Black Sox Scandal
The Black Sox Scandal took place around and during the play of the American baseball 1919 World Series. Eight members of the Chicago White Sox were banned for life from baseball for intentionally losing games, which allowed the Cincinnati Reds to win the World Series...
baseball team played with the Colchester team in a game against nearby Macomb
Macomb, Illinois
Macomb is a city in and the county seat of McDonough County, Illinois, United States. It is situated in western Illinois southwest of Galesburg. The population was 18,588 at the 2000 census. Macomb is the home of Western Illinois University.- Geography :...
. Kelly Wagle paid to bring the players to Colchester.
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 1,493 people, 634 households, and 419 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 1,500.7 people per square mile (582.3/km²). There were 694 housing units at an average density of 697.6 per square mile (270.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 99.40% White, 0.07% Native American, 0.07% Asian, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.60% of the population.
There were 634 households out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% 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, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 30.6% 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 2.32 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 85.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,283, and the median income for a family was $37,763. Males had a median income of $27,857 versus $19,211 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 $15,354. About 5.0% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.