Saybrook, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Saybrook is a village in southeast McLean County
, Illinois
, United States
. The population was 693 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington
–Normal
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Known by locals as the "City of Shade and Water", its founders named it in honor of Old Saybrook, Connecticut
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²), of which, 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (3.66%) is water.
Saybrook was laid out 4 March 1856 by Isaac M. Polk (c.1814 - ?). Not much is known about Polk. He was born in Indiana and does not seem to have lived in McLean County for very long. In 1860 and 1870 he was in neighboring Livingston County. Saybrook is the only town in McLean County on the banks of a major river and the uppermost town on the Sangamon River
. The woodland along the Sangamon, which became known as Cheney’s Grove, attracted early settlers. Jonathan Cheney had come to this area in 1825 and built a cabin across the river from the later location of the town. In 1833 Robert Cunningham built a water driven mill on the Sangamon; it was later replaced by a steam driven mill. In 1857 the town consisted of a saw mill, a blacksmith shop, a carpenter shop, one store, and eight dwellings. The total population was twenty-one. The township in which the town was situated was named took its name from the woodland and was called Cheney’s Grove.
Original Town Plan and Development
The Original Town of Saybrook was one of the smallest in McLean County. It consisted of a simple square of four blocks, each block containing eight lots. This original plat had been laid out over a series of road and lot lines which were aligned at roughly forty-five degrees to the first official town plat; some of these old lines, shown in dashed markings, can been seen on the 1856 plat. The original town had no square or other distinguishing features. In 1866 the Town Council laid out a large addition north and east of town. This was said to have been done to make the town look as large as possible to railroad promoters. This seems unlikely. As will be seen, Saybrook was well known to many of the men associated with the founding of the railroad. The town of Saybrook was incorporated 29 May 1866
Bending the Railroad
One thing clearly evident to the citizens of the fledgling town: it would only flourish if a railroad could be attracted. The most likely railroad was the one which would later become the Lake Erie and Western. It would be built run due west from Bloomington to Paxton in neighboring Ford County and, because of this, would probably miss Saybrook by several miles. At this point the three Cheney brothers, sons of Jonathan Cheney, mentioned above, entered the picture. Haines Cheney, then in the Illinois Senate had arranged for the charter of the road. To fund the railroad, local towns and townships would issue bonds, which the taxpayers would eventually retire. Two other Cheney brothers, Jonathan H. Cheney and William H. Cheney - who was the second largest landowner in Cheney’s Grove Township - became members of the railroad’s Board of Directors. William H. Riggs, the supervisor of Cheney’ Grove Township, was also on the board. Cheney’s Grove Township voted to fund $50,000 in bonds and the Town of Saybrook added an additional $10,000 in bonds. With this kind of backing, the route of the road was deflected and it passed through the town. In November 1871, when the tracks reached the village limits of Saybrook, a great celebration was held. A bottle of champagne was produced, but rather than smash the bottle, the thrifty reception committee simply knocked off its neck so the contents could be consumed later. The new Christian church in Saybrook invited visitors from Bloomington
to attend their first service and announced that there would be a special train “on our railroad.”
After the Railroad
Once the railroad was established in 1870 Saybrook grew rapidly. It soon became the largest grain shipping point in eastern McLean County. A depot with depot grounds was established just south of the Original Town. In 1870 Thomas Holloway built the large brick Union House Hotel. In 1872 a newspaper was established. There was a boom in the construction of houses and stores. By 1900 there were 879 people in the town. In the twentieth century the population of Saybrook declined by about fifteen percent. By 2000 Saybrook was smaller than it had been a century before.
of 2000, there were 764 people, 325 households, and 219 families residing in the village. The population density
was 964.3 people per square mile (373.4/km²). There were 340 housing units at an average density of 429.2 per square mile (166.2/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.82% White, 0.13% African American, 0.13% Asian, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.26% of the population.
There were 325 households out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples
living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the village the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $37,778, and the median income for a family was $43,750. Males had a median income of $29,688 versus $21,806 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $16,671. About 7.7% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.6% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.
McLean County, Illinois
McLean County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. McLean County is included in the Bloomington–Normal, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 169,572, which is an increase of 12.7% from 150,433 in 2000. Its county seat is...
, 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 693 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington
Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
–Normal
Normal, Illinois
Normal is an incorporated town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. It had a population of 52,497 as of the 2010 census. Normal is the smaller of two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Known by locals as the "City of Shade and Water", its founders named it in honor of Old Saybrook, Connecticut
Old Saybrook, Connecticut
Old Saybrook is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 10,367 at the 2000 census. It contains the incorporated borough of Fenwick, as well as the census-designated places of Old Saybrook Center and Saybrook Manor.-History:...
.
Geography
Saybrook is located at 40°25′39"N 88°31′36"W (40.427490, -88.526536).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 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²), of which, 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (3.66%) is water.
History
Founding of SaybrookSaybrook was laid out 4 March 1856 by Isaac M. Polk (c.1814 - ?). Not much is known about Polk. He was born in Indiana and does not seem to have lived in McLean County for very long. In 1860 and 1870 he was in neighboring Livingston County. Saybrook is the only town in McLean County on the banks of a major river and the uppermost town on the Sangamon River
Sangamon River
The Sangamon River is a principal tributary of the Illinois River, approximately long, in central Illinois in the United States. It drains a mostly rural agricultural area between Peoria and Springfield...
. The woodland along the Sangamon, which became known as Cheney’s Grove, attracted early settlers. Jonathan Cheney had come to this area in 1825 and built a cabin across the river from the later location of the town. In 1833 Robert Cunningham built a water driven mill on the Sangamon; it was later replaced by a steam driven mill. In 1857 the town consisted of a saw mill, a blacksmith shop, a carpenter shop, one store, and eight dwellings. The total population was twenty-one. The township in which the town was situated was named took its name from the woodland and was called Cheney’s Grove.
Original Town Plan and Development
The Original Town of Saybrook was one of the smallest in McLean County. It consisted of a simple square of four blocks, each block containing eight lots. This original plat had been laid out over a series of road and lot lines which were aligned at roughly forty-five degrees to the first official town plat; some of these old lines, shown in dashed markings, can been seen on the 1856 plat. The original town had no square or other distinguishing features. In 1866 the Town Council laid out a large addition north and east of town. This was said to have been done to make the town look as large as possible to railroad promoters. This seems unlikely. As will be seen, Saybrook was well known to many of the men associated with the founding of the railroad. The town of Saybrook was incorporated 29 May 1866
Bending the Railroad
One thing clearly evident to the citizens of the fledgling town: it would only flourish if a railroad could be attracted. The most likely railroad was the one which would later become the Lake Erie and Western. It would be built run due west from Bloomington to Paxton in neighboring Ford County and, because of this, would probably miss Saybrook by several miles. At this point the three Cheney brothers, sons of Jonathan Cheney, mentioned above, entered the picture. Haines Cheney, then in the Illinois Senate had arranged for the charter of the road. To fund the railroad, local towns and townships would issue bonds, which the taxpayers would eventually retire. Two other Cheney brothers, Jonathan H. Cheney and William H. Cheney - who was the second largest landowner in Cheney’s Grove Township - became members of the railroad’s Board of Directors. William H. Riggs, the supervisor of Cheney’ Grove Township, was also on the board. Cheney’s Grove Township voted to fund $50,000 in bonds and the Town of Saybrook added an additional $10,000 in bonds. With this kind of backing, the route of the road was deflected and it passed through the town. In November 1871, when the tracks reached the village limits of Saybrook, a great celebration was held. A bottle of champagne was produced, but rather than smash the bottle, the thrifty reception committee simply knocked off its neck so the contents could be consumed later. The new Christian church in Saybrook invited visitors from Bloomington
Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
to attend their first service and announced that there would be a special train “on our railroad.”
After the Railroad
Once the railroad was established in 1870 Saybrook grew rapidly. It soon became the largest grain shipping point in eastern McLean County. A depot with depot grounds was established just south of the Original Town. In 1870 Thomas Holloway built the large brick Union House Hotel. In 1872 a newspaper was established. There was a boom in the construction of houses and stores. By 1900 there were 879 people in the town. In the twentieth century the population of Saybrook declined by about fifteen percent. By 2000 Saybrook was smaller than it had been a century before.
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 764 people, 325 households, and 219 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 964.3 people per square mile (373.4/km²). There were 340 housing units at an average density of 429.2 per square mile (166.2/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.82% White, 0.13% African American, 0.13% Asian, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.26% of the population.
There were 325 households out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% 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, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the village the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $37,778, and the median income for a family was $43,750. Males had a median income of $29,688 versus $21,806 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 $16,671. About 7.7% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.6% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.