Seneca, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Seneca is a village in LaSalle and Grundy counties in the U.S. state
of Illinois
. The population was 2,371 at the 2010 census.
The LaSalle County portion of Seneca is part of the Ottawa
–Streator
Micropolitan Statistical Area, while the small portion that lies in Grundy County is part of the Chicago–Naperville
–Joliet
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Seneca is home to the LaSalle County Generating Station, a nuclear power plant.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²), of which, 3.3 square miles (8.5 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (7.28%) is water.
Most of the village lies in LaSalle County, although a small portion extends into west central Grundy County. In the 2000 census, all of Seneca's 2,082 residents lived in LaSalle County. According to 2006 population estimates, 2,082 of the village's 2,087 residents (99.8%) lived in LaSalle County and 5 (0.2%) lived in Grundy County.
Seneca is located on the Illinois River
, which connects Lake Michigan
to the Mississippi River
.
of 2000, there were 2,053 people, 744 households, and 569 families residing in the village. The population density
was 620.7 people per square mile (239.5/km²). There were 786 housing units at an average density of 237.6 per square mile (91.7/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.59% White, 0.05% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.88% from other races
, and 0.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.46% of the population.
There were 744 households out of which 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.3% were married couples
living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.4% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the village the population was spread out with 30.7% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $52,188, and the median income for a family was $57,552. Males had a median income of $42,431 versus $24,438 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $19,273. About 6.2% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.
, which connects the Mississippi River
to Lake Michigan
. Seneca hosts three marinas on the south side of the Illinois River, as well as a public boat launch on the north side of the Illinois River. Seneca is rich with history with the Illinois and Michigan Canal running through the center of the city's downtown area. The business community continues to change as the small businesses and merchants unite to improve the existing business community and attract new businesses.
In Seneca there are several taverns and restaurants, a hardware store which has been owned by the Ellis family since 1872 and is Illinois' oldest family owned hardware store, a grocery store, along with 4 fuel stations. Other businesses in downtown Seneca include a doctor's office, an ice cream parlor, two banks, a realtor, several hair salons, a gift shop, and many others.
The village is home to various Industrial businesses such as the Biodiesel plant, Cargrill Grain, LST (Lamb's Seneca Terminal) Industrial Park, and the soon to be developed Seneca I-80 Railport.
The Village has recently developed The Seneca Business Association which has united more than 100 businesses in the village. The goal of the association is to promote local shopping as well as downtown revitilization. The association has already developed a business directory and coordinated a number of fundraisers for local non-profit agencies.
Seneca participates in the Mapping & Visioning for your Community project. The group of local volunteers establish goals community improvement goals and enlists the help of a VISTA Volunteer to accomplish the goals. The group also hopes to apply for grants to better the community.
, Kinsman, Verona, and Marseilles.
The 2005 Illinois State Board of Education's 2005 Illinois District Report Card [ftp://ftpirptcard.isbe.net/ReportCard2005/350501600_e.pdf ISBE 2005 Report Card] shows that the Seneca High School was strongly funded - in large part through payments made by Commonwealth Edison
's power generation plant located approximately ten miles south of Seneca. For example, the above cited 2005 high school district Report Card shows the Illinois State average instructional expenditure per pupil at $5,216, but Seneca was able to provide $8,647 in instructional expenditures per pupil. Similarly, while the state average operating expenditure per pupil was $8,786, Seneca was able to dedicate $17,305 per pupil, which is reflected in the grade school, middle school, and high school facilities. These payments made by Commonwealth Edison have since decreased along with the impact they once had.
. The Seneca Prairie Shipyard Days has made many improvements including adding a "Cruise Night" to the festival where Illinois Route 170
(Main Street) is closed in the downtown for a display of antique cars, trucks, motorcycles, and tractors. The festival committee has recently changed the festival name to "Seneca Prairie Shipyard Days" to reflect the historical significance of their village as well as have respect for their past. Everyone also enjoys dancing to a live band at the beer garden and the food of local venues.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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,...
. The population was 2,371 at the 2010 census.
The LaSalle County portion of Seneca 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, while the small portion that lies in Grundy County is part of the Chicago–Naperville
Naperville, Illinois
Naperville is a city in DuPage and Will Counties in Illinois in the United States, voted the second best place to live in the United States by Money Magazine in 2006. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 141,853. It is the fifth largest city in the state, behind Chicago,...
–Joliet
Joliet, Illinois
Joliet is a city in Will and Kendall Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, located southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County. As of the 2010 census, the city was the fourth-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 147,433. It continues to be Illinois' fastest growing...
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Seneca is home to the LaSalle County Generating Station, a nuclear power plant.
Geography
Seneca is located at 41°18′40"N 88°36′35"W (41.3111442, -88.6097936).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 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²), of which, 3.3 square miles (8.5 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (7.28%) is water.
Most of the village lies in LaSalle County, although a small portion extends into west central Grundy County. In the 2000 census, all of Seneca's 2,082 residents lived in LaSalle County. According to 2006 population estimates, 2,082 of the village's 2,087 residents (99.8%) lived in LaSalle County and 5 (0.2%) lived in Grundy County.
Seneca is located on the Illinois River
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
, which connects Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
to the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
.
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 2,053 people, 744 households, and 569 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 620.7 people per square mile (239.5/km²). There were 786 housing units at an average density of 237.6 per square mile (91.7/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.59% White, 0.05% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.88% 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 0.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.46% of the population.
There were 744 households out of which 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.3% 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 23.4% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the village the population was spread out with 30.7% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $52,188, and the median income for a family was $57,552. Males had a median income of $42,431 versus $24,438 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 $19,273. About 6.2% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.
Business
Seneca is located on the Illinois RiverIllinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
, which connects the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
to Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
. Seneca hosts three marinas on the south side of the Illinois River, as well as a public boat launch on the north side of the Illinois River. Seneca is rich with history with the Illinois and Michigan Canal running through the center of the city's downtown area. The business community continues to change as the small businesses and merchants unite to improve the existing business community and attract new businesses.
In Seneca there are several taverns and restaurants, a hardware store which has been owned by the Ellis family since 1872 and is Illinois' oldest family owned hardware store, a grocery store, along with 4 fuel stations. Other businesses in downtown Seneca include a doctor's office, an ice cream parlor, two banks, a realtor, several hair salons, a gift shop, and many others.
The village is home to various Industrial businesses such as the Biodiesel plant, Cargrill Grain, LST (Lamb's Seneca Terminal) Industrial Park, and the soon to be developed Seneca I-80 Railport.
The Village has recently developed The Seneca Business Association which has united more than 100 businesses in the village. The goal of the association is to promote local shopping as well as downtown revitilization. The association has already developed a business directory and coordinated a number of fundraisers for local non-profit agencies.
Seneca participates in the Mapping & Visioning for your Community project. The group of local volunteers establish goals community improvement goals and enlists the help of a VISTA Volunteer to accomplish the goals. The group also hopes to apply for grants to better the community.
Schools
Seneca has three schools split into two school districts: Seneca Grade School North Campus (pre-kindergarten - 4th grade) and Seneca Grade School South Campus (grades 5-8) make up District 170, while Seneca Township High School (grades 9 - 12) is the lone school in District 160. Seneca High School houses students from Seneca as well as students from the nearby towns of Mazon, IllinoisMazon, Illinois
Mazon is a village in Mazon Township, Grundy County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,015 at the 2010 census. The center of population of Illinois is located in Mazon. Illinois' State Fossil, the unique and bizarre Tully Monster was first found in nearby Mazon Creek...
, Kinsman, Verona, and Marseilles.
The 2005 Illinois State Board of Education's 2005 Illinois District Report Card [ftp://ftpirptcard.isbe.net/ReportCard2005/350501600_e.pdf ISBE 2005 Report Card] shows that the Seneca High School was strongly funded - in large part through payments made by Commonwealth Edison
Commonwealth Edison
Commonwealth Edison is the largest electric utility in Illinois, serving the Chicago and Northern Illinois area...
's power generation plant located approximately ten miles south of Seneca. For example, the above cited 2005 high school district Report Card shows the Illinois State average instructional expenditure per pupil at $5,216, but Seneca was able to provide $8,647 in instructional expenditures per pupil. Similarly, while the state average operating expenditure per pupil was $8,786, Seneca was able to dedicate $17,305 per pupil, which is reflected in the grade school, middle school, and high school facilities. These payments made by Commonwealth Edison have since decreased along with the impact they once had.
- In 1989, the Seneca Fighting Irish Cross CountryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
team won the Class 1A State Championship and were the first boys team from LaSalle County to win a state championship.
- In 1990, the Seneca Fighting Irish Track team's 3200 m relay team won the Class A State Championship.
- In 1990, the Seneca Fighting Irish football team won the Class 2A State Championship with a 14-0 record.
- In 1991, the Seneca Fighting Irish boys basketball team finished as the Class A State Runner-up with a 27-5 record.
- In 2005, the Seneca Fighting Irish boys basketball team placed third in the Class 1A State Championship, led by the spirited play of senior center Brett Anderson.
- In 2006, the Seneca Fighting Irish boys basketball team went undefeated and won the Class 1A State Championship.
- The Seneca High School FFA has been voted as the top chapter of the National FFA OrganizationNational FFA OrganizationThe National FFA Organization is an American youth organization known as a Career and Technical Student Organization, based on middle and high school classes that promote and support agricultural education...
in the State of IllinoisIllinoisIllinois 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,...
.
Notable Historical Residents
- Father Gabriel de la Ribourde - The first Superior of the Recollects, who was slain by Kickapoo Indians, Sept. 19, 1680. A French missionary, brought Catholicism to the Seneca area 175 years before St. Patrick’s Parish was founded. In 1680, he was traveling with an exploratory party from Quebec when he was ambushed and killed by a band of Kickapoo Indians. A wooden cross marks the spot where Illinois’ first martyr to the Catholic faith is believed to have died (which is located next to St. Patricks Catholic Church).
- Jeremiah Crotty - Seneca was first settled by Jeremiah Crotty, an entrepreneur and contractor who helped build the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Crotty built the first residence in 1850 and established the town in 1854 with a post office in his name. Residents retained the name Crotty Town until 1865, when they incorporated the town with the name of Seneca—probably a nod to mid-nineteenth century interest in classicism. Jeremiah Crotty was best known for his work on the I&M Canal where he developed a technique to dig through the rock, clay, and sandstone much cheaper than any of his competitors.
- John Tracy Ellis (July 30, 1905-October 16, 1992) - Catholic church historian, born in Seneca, Illinois. A priest with a doctorate in history from Catholic University (Washington, DC), he spent most of his career on the faculty. A long serving executive secretary of the American Catholic Historical Association and editor of the Catholic Historical Review (1941–62), he wrote widely on church history and won particular notice for his essay (1955) deploring an anti-intellectual ‘ghetto mentality’ among American Catholics. He was named a monsignor in 1955. He is interred in Mt. Calvary Cemetery on the north side of Seneca.
- Dave Callahan (July 20, 1888-October 28, 1969) - Major league baseball player, born in Seneca, Illinois. Dave played left field and center field for the 1910 and 1911 Cleveland Naps (later renamed the Cleveland Indians).
- Brain Dead Projex (started in 2006) - Seneca is also birthplace to underground recording label Brain Dead Projex. A label consisting of 9 local recording artists, including PoorBoyLuke, O.D.D, HaZe, and MizJif. The label gained local fame in 2010 and is featured in surrounding areas newspapers and bars.
Activities
Every year at the end of July or the beginning of August, Seneca hosts Seneca Prairie Shipyard Days during which a carnival comes to town and a fireworks show is performed. Some people call this "Summer Fest" or "Seneca Fun Days". The fest was originally called Seneca Prairie Shipyard Festival in honor of the LSTs (also known as Landing Ship, Tank), built in Seneca during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Seneca Prairie Shipyard Days has made many improvements including adding a "Cruise Night" to the festival where Illinois Route 170
Illinois Route 170
Illinois Route 170 is a north–south state road in north-central Illinois. It runs from Illinois Route 23 well north of Pontiac to U.S. Route 6 in Seneca. This is a distance of .- Route description :...
(Main Street) is closed in the downtown for a display of antique cars, trucks, motorcycles, and tractors. The festival committee has recently changed the festival name to "Seneca Prairie Shipyard Days" to reflect the historical significance of their village as well as have respect for their past. Everyone also enjoys dancing to a live band at the beer garden and the food of local venues.