Ransom, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Ransom is a village in LaSalle County, Illinois
, United States
. The population was 409 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Ottawa
–Streator
Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is part of the subregion known as Streatorland
.
; ads were placed in the Streator Monitor as early as 1876 calling for shopkeepers, craftsmen, and tradesmen. In 1885 the village of Ransom was officially incorporated. The earliest businesses in Ransom included a hotel, saloon, doctor, carpenter, pharmacist, grocery store, cash exchange and a blacksmith. On the edge of the newly developing business district a small wooden water tower
was constructed. In 1892 a fire devastated the eastern side of the business district, stymieing the village's growth and causing some business owners to close up shop forever.
After the fire, and much back and forth, the village constructed a new public waterworks
with a 68 feet water tower
at its center in 1896. The village flourished after the fire, eventually reaching a population peak of around 600 following World War II. On September 7, 1903 the first phone service reached Ransom, and AT&T
opened a telegraph office in 1905. Between 1905–1910 the village constructed a sidewalk
system. The first electric street lamps appeared on May 7, 1910 with the acquisition of a dozen electric street lamps from Illinois Valley Gas and Electric. Electricity gradually made its way into the homes of Ransom following the introduction of the street lamps.
General Thomas E.G. Ransom. Ransom hailed from the state of Illinois.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 409 people, 147 households, and 109 families residing in the village. The population density
was 412.6 people per square mile (159.5/km²). There were 159 housing units at an average density of 160.4 per square mile (62.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.04% White, 0.24% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.24% from other races
, and 1.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.18% of the population.
There were 147 households out of which 39.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.6% were married couples
living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.2% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the village the population was spread out with 30.1% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $53,333, and the median income for a family was $55,682. Males had a median income of $46,458 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $17,524. About 2.3% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under the age of eighteen or sixty-five 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 409 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. It is part of the subregion known as Streatorland
Streatorland
Streatorland is an informal name given to the geographic area in North Central Illinois that is centered geographically, politically, culturally, and economically, around the city of Streator. It consists of areas in southern LaSalle County and northwestern Livingston...
.
History
Ransom was a planned communityPlanned community
A planned community, or planned city, is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are less frequent in planned communities since...
; ads were placed in the Streator Monitor as early as 1876 calling for shopkeepers, craftsmen, and tradesmen. In 1885 the village of Ransom was officially incorporated. The earliest businesses in Ransom included a hotel, saloon, doctor, carpenter, pharmacist, grocery store, cash exchange and a blacksmith. On the edge of the newly developing business district a small wooden water tower
Water tower
A water tower or elevated water tower is a large elevated drinking water storage container constructed to hold a water supply at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system....
was constructed. In 1892 a fire devastated the eastern side of the business district, stymieing the village's growth and causing some business owners to close up shop forever.
After the fire, and much back and forth, the village constructed a new public waterworks
WaterWorks
WaterWorks is a water park owned by Cedar Fair, located at the back of Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. When it debuted in 1992, it was originally named Hurricane Reef...
with a 68 feet water tower
Ransom Water Tower
The Ransom Water Tower is a former water tower in the LaSalle County, Illinois, village of Ransom. It was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1990.-History:...
at its center in 1896. The village flourished after the fire, eventually reaching a population peak of around 600 following World War II. On September 7, 1903 the first phone service reached Ransom, and AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
opened a telegraph office in 1905. Between 1905–1910 the village constructed a sidewalk
Sidewalk
A sidewalk, or pavement, footpath, footway, and sometimes platform, is a path along the side of a road. A sidewalk may accommodate moderate changes in grade and is normally separated from the vehicular section by a curb...
system. The first electric street lamps appeared on May 7, 1910 with the acquisition of a dozen electric street lamps from Illinois Valley Gas and Electric. Electricity gradually made its way into the homes of Ransom following the introduction of the street lamps.
Namesake
The village was named for American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
General Thomas E.G. Ransom. Ransom hailed from the state of Illinois.
Geography
Ransom is located at 41°9′21"N 88°39′11"W (41.155955, -88.653178).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.
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 409 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 412.6 people per square mile (159.5/km²). There were 159 housing units at an average density of 160.4 per square mile (62.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.04% White, 0.24% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.24% 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 1.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.18% of the population.
There were 147 households out of which 39.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.6% 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, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.2% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the village the population was spread out with 30.1% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $53,333, and the median income for a family was $55,682. Males had a median income of $46,458 versus $21,250 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 $17,524. About 2.3% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under the age of eighteen or sixty-five or over.