Staunton, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Staunton is a city in Macoupin County
, Illinois
, United States
. The population was 5,030 at the 2000 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6 km²), of which, 2.3 square miles (6 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (1.30%) is water.
of 2000, there were 5,030 people, 2,020 households, and 1,383 families residing in the city. The population density
is 2,204.6 inhabitants per square mile (851.8/km²). There are 2,153 housing units at an average density of 943.6 per square mile (364.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.77% White, 0.10% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races
, and 0.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.74% of the population.
There were 2,020 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.6% were married couples
living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city the population was spread out with 7% under the age of 7, 7% from 7 to 7, 7% from 7 to 7, 7% from 7 to 7, and 7% who were 7 years of age or older. The median age was 7 years. For every 7 females there were 7 males. For every 7 females age 7 and over, there were 7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $7, and the median income for a family was $7. Males had a median income of $7 versus $7 for females. The per capita income
for the city is $16,905. About 4.0% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.0% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.
†No census data gathered for Livingston in 1900, since it was not yet incorporated.
As the above data shows, Staunton experienced quite robust growth in the early part of the 20th century. Compared to other cities/villages in the area, Staunton has held its own relatively speaking. While standouts such as Edwardsville have continued to experience robust growth even to this day, Staunton's modest growth is favorable when compared to neighboring Livingston.
* A man named Stanton bought land here, then decided to move on and gave the land to the village for a square. At the meeting to discuss the post office someone suggested
they name the village Stanton as a “thank you” to Mr. Stanton. The suggestion was accepted and the application for a post office at Stanton went off to Washington, D.C. There
the clerk who handled the request must have thought those westerners couldn’t spell. The grant came back with the name spelled S-t-a-u-n-t-o-n, which was the name of a town
in the Appalachian region of Virginia. It would take time and effort to have the error corrected, and no one really cared. Anyway, Staunton, VA was and still is pronounced
“Stanton”. And so it was in Staunton, Illinois for many years. Some say that the people here began saying Staunton as we do today only after their throats were so full of coal
dirt that they could no longer say Stanton. (Source 1)
Important Dates
* 1817: John Wood arrives in the area (blacksmith from Virginia)
* 1820: Richard Chapman builds first mill in Staunton (saves trips to St. Louis)
* 1825: First schoolhouse built (William Wilcox taught for $2 a student)
* 1831: Stephen Hicks opens first general store
* 1835: David Hendershot plats the first section of a village
* 1835: Luke Coons becomes first physician in Staunton
* 1837: First Post Office (William Bonner is first Postmaster)
o Important addition because it brought in people and trade
o Staunton goes from a subsistent farm community to a trade-based one
* 1859: Staunton becomes an incorporated village
o Unincorporated village from 1830-1859
* 1870: Railroad arrives! (drastic change on the community and the nation)
* 1873: Royal Gem Mill built
o Tallest building ever erected here
o Won a gold medal for “Jack Frost Flower” at Paris World Exposition (1875)
* 1878: Staunton Star Times begins publication
* 1891: Staunton becomes a city
o Achieved a population of 2209 in 1890 (sufficient enough to apply for “City” status)
o F.E. Godfrey serves as first mayor
* 1894: John Kennedy starts Staunton High School
* Early 1900’s: Staunton starts to look like what we recognize today
o Staunton continued to grow in the twentieth century. Many of the buildings that make up what is now downtown Staunton were built around the turn of the century.
Note: A few years ago, the community began a series of ornaments depicting historic buildings in Staunton. The first and oldest building in this series was the Gauer Building.
* 1904: Illinois Traction System passes through Staunton
* 1910: Staunton achieves a population of 5049 (biggest city in Macoupin County at that time). Note: Although these numbers prove that Staunton was prospering, some had
predicted that it would be three times this size by 1912. A real estate ad taken from the Staunton Star-Times on October 14, 1907 urges citizens to buy land quickly, as
“Staunton will become a city of 15,000 people in five years’ time and every lot in McKinley Addition will double or triple in value”. (source 2) Although a good marketing ploy,
Staunton would never approach even half of that anticipated size, and still today remains at only a third of that predicted population.
* 1913: Staunton Public Library established (first Librarian was Bess Kirkwood)
* 1922: Staunton Country Club established
* 1923: Staunton Volunteer Fire Department established
* 1923: Staunton football team goes 10-0 (including state record 233-0 victory over Gillespie)
* 1925: Staunton High School built
* 1925: Staunton’s population (unofficially) reaches 6600 (all-time high)
* 1927: Lake Staunton (“The Rezzy”) built for $230,000
* 1946: Community Memorial Hospital Association organized (building dedicated in 1951)
* 1956: Illinois Traction System runs its last passenger train through Staunton
* 1956: Interstate 55 built through Staunton (led to the decline of Route 66)
* 1959: Staunton celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of Village incorporation
o The Centennial Celebration lasted from June 28 through July 4, 1959, and included games, a parade, and concessions. One interesting happening was the “Judging of the Beards”,
or the “Brothers of the Brush” contest, in which members of the community grew long beards to show respect and to honor those of past generations. (source 1) Note: My Grandpa
actually ran this contest, and ironically, since he was a barber, it probably hurt his own business for a while. However, the celebration of Staunton’s history must have taken
precedence, and I think his actions, as well as others who dedicated time and money towards the Centennial Celebration, are indicative of Staunton’s close-knit and dedicated
community members. Perhaps the beards also represented a socially acceptable way for males to escape the conformity of the 1950’s. Either way, the celebration indicated a
proud and thankful citizenry honoring its community’s history.
* 1971: City Complex built (Library, City Clerk’s Office, Police Station)
* 1991: Staunton celebrates the one hundredth anniversary of City Charter (less lavish than 1959 celebration)
* 1993: Staunton wins IHSA Class A basketball title
* 2004: Livingston schools are annexed into the Staunton School District
* 2009: Staunton celebrates its Sesquicentennial (150 years)
Immigration
* Mostly from Germany in the mid-1800’s (first German family in 1846)
* Irish immigration in the 1870’s
* Italian immigration in the early 1900’s
Coal Mining
* Henry Voge opens first coal mine in 1869 (“The Gin Shaft”)
* Coal Mining characterized the city for nearly a century
o Two large mounds of slag that rise from prairie farmland on the outskirts of Staunton tell much about the history and the present status of the small city. The
size of the piles indicates many years of deep shaft coal production, while the weeded erosions indicate the tipples have been idle for years. Mining started here shortly
before the Civil War. It ended shortly before World War II. When the shafts were operating, they provided most of the employment in the town. (Source 3) Note: although it
has been said that coal mining had started in Staunton before the Civil War era, I found no indication of that in any other source. All of these indicate that coal mining
first started in Staunton in 1869.
* Staunton Local 755 becomes largest coal miners’ union in the state
o The Labor Temple was built in 1914 by the Local Miners Union. The front doors of this fine structure opened onto an attractive lobby with a wide stairway to the
second floor on the right and a ticket office centered between two entrances to a large auditorium which had a sloping floor, aisles between three sections of comfortable
seats and in front a large, well-arranged stage. This auditorium had the first air conditioning system to be found anywhere within thirty-five miles of Staunton. From
Tuesday through Sunday it was a theatre showing first-run movies for many years. The first Monday of each month the Miners Union held their meeting there. The other Mondays
could be booked for graduations, dramatic or musical productions by local groups, speakers, etc. Upstairs were toilet facilities, several small conference or committee
meeting rooms, and a large hall where lodges met and dances and receptions could be held. (Source 1)
* Last mine closes in 1951
Religion
* Lutheran Church established in 1847 (first school building in 1881, though some instruction took place before that time)
* Catholic Church established in 1867 (first school building in 1904, though some instruction took place before that time)
* Many other denominations have establishments in Staunton
World War I
* Observers generally recognized that during the spring and summer of 1917 the American people, at least in the Midwest, were not fervent supporters of the war. As the
United States rushed towards open hostility, even President Woodrow Wilson remarked on the “apparent apathy in the Middle West”. (Source 4)
* In Staunton, the area’s first organized opposition to the war emerged, as well as some of the first riots in support of U.S. intervention. During two evenings in early
1918, the local union decided, through vigilante tactics, to “Americanize” the City. (Source 4)
o With one man at the head carrying a large American flag, the mob made its way to various homes in Staunton where…persons whose loyalty was not of the 100 percent
kind resided. At each of more than one hundred houses visited, the crowd hammered on doors and forced men inside to come out into the street where they were required to kiss
the flag, sign loyalty pledge cards, salute the flag, or make other manifestations of patriotism. (Source 4)
* This display of “superpatriotism” was heralded throughout the area (even as far as Chicago).
o Following the two nights of loyalty demonstrations in Staunton, the area’s press gave enthusiastic support to the actions. The Staunton Star-Times announced that
“the members of Local Union 755 [were] to be heartily congratulated on what they accomplished”…Other district papers not only supported the Staunton superpatriots but
implied that such actions were required elsewhere in the area. The Mt. Olive Herald congratulated the Staunton patriots and issued a warning: “To Staunton belongs the honor
of being first in the county in a real loyalty demonstration…In the future anyone with pro-German tendencies will do well to keep their mouths shut”…The Gillespie
News commended the citizens of Staunton, and explained that while “we are not believers in mob violence…under the existing circumstances we are for it,
and every man who took part in the Staunton demonstration should be given a medal”…And the Chicago Tribune commended the Staunton crowd for its “zealous Americanism”. (Source 4)
o Even the Governor of Illinois supported what the local union did in Staunton. “The people in Staunton who took the ‘Pros to a cleaning are not mobs….
They were the best citizens that can be found in the great state of ours.” (Source 4)
* German dropped from the curriculum at Zion
Great Depression and World War II
* WPA projects
o Library Mural “Going to Work”. Note: This mural, along with several others in Illinois, was the subject of a documentary film about art done under federal
sponsorship during the Great Depression. The film, which was tentatively titled Silver Lining, was sponsored by the Illinois Bicentennial Commission and the Illinois Arts Council. (Source 5)
* Many joined the Armed Forces
* Staunton becomes a commuter work force (as it is today)
Macoupin County, Illinois
Macoupin County is a county located in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 47,765, which is a decrease of 2.6% from 49,019 in 2000. The county seat is Carlinville. Macoupin County is an outlying county of the Metro-East region...
, 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 5,030 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Staunton is located at 39°0′39"N 89°47′16"W (39.010777, -89.787711).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 2.3 square miles (6 km²), of which, 2.3 square miles (6 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (1.30%) is water.
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 5,030 people, 2,020 households, and 1,383 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...
is 2,204.6 inhabitants per square mile (851.8/km²). There are 2,153 housing units at an average density of 943.6 per square mile (364.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.77% White, 0.10% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.08% 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 0.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.74% of the population.
There were 2,020 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.6% 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, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city the population was spread out with 7% under the age of 7, 7% from 7 to 7, 7% from 7 to 7, 7% from 7 to 7, and 7% who were 7 years of age or older. The median age was 7 years. For every 7 females there were 7 males. For every 7 females age 7 and over, there were 7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $7, and the median income for a family was $7. Males had a median income of $7 versus $7 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 is $16,905. About 4.0% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.0% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.
Population
Staunton has maintained a relatively stable population for the past 100 years. The city reached its peak population in 1920, with a population of 6,027. It suffered a decline until 1950, when it reached 4,047. Since then, it has been growing modestly, although its growth is not keeping pace with the country as a whole (see table).Population of Staunton and Nearby Cities and Villages
| 1900 | 1910 | 1920 | 1930 | 1940 | 1950 | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | 76,212,168 | 92,228,531 | 106,021,568 | 123,202,660 | 132,165,129 | 150,844,547 | 179,325,671 | 203,210,158 | 226,545,805 | 248,709,873 | 281,421,906 |
| Illinois | 4,821,550 | 5,638,591 | 6,485,280 | 7,630,654 | 7,897,241 | 8,712,176 | 10,081,158 | 11,113,976 | 11,426,596 | 11,430,602 | 12,419,293 |
| Staunton | 2,786 | 5,048 | 6,027 | 4,618 | 4,212 | 4,047 | 4,228 | 4,396 | 4,744 | 4,806 | 5,030 |
| Livingston† | 1,092 | 1,365 | 1,447 | 1,115 | 999 | 964 | 916 | 949 | 928 | 825 | |
| Litchfield | 5,918 | 5,971 | 6,215 | 6,612 | 7,048 | 7,208 | 7,330 | 7,190 | 7,204 | 6,883 | 6,815 |
| Edwardsville | 4,157 | 5,014 | 5,336 | 6,235 | 8,008 | 8,776 | 9,996 | 11,070 | 12,480 | 14,579 | 21,491 |
†No census data gathered for Livingston in 1900, since it was not yet incorporated.
As the above data shows, Staunton experienced quite robust growth in the early part of the 20th century. Compared to other cities/villages in the area, Staunton has held its own relatively speaking. While standouts such as Edwardsville have continued to experience robust growth even to this day, Staunton's modest growth is favorable when compared to neighboring Livingston.
History
How Staunton Got Its Name* A man named Stanton bought land here, then decided to move on and gave the land to the village for a square. At the meeting to discuss the post office someone suggested
they name the village Stanton as a “thank you” to Mr. Stanton. The suggestion was accepted and the application for a post office at Stanton went off to Washington, D.C. There
the clerk who handled the request must have thought those westerners couldn’t spell. The grant came back with the name spelled S-t-a-u-n-t-o-n, which was the name of a town
in the Appalachian region of Virginia. It would take time and effort to have the error corrected, and no one really cared. Anyway, Staunton, VA was and still is pronounced
“Stanton”. And so it was in Staunton, Illinois for many years. Some say that the people here began saying Staunton as we do today only after their throats were so full of coal
dirt that they could no longer say Stanton. (Source 1)
Important Dates
* 1817: John Wood arrives in the area (blacksmith from Virginia)
* 1820: Richard Chapman builds first mill in Staunton (saves trips to St. Louis)
* 1825: First schoolhouse built (William Wilcox taught for $2 a student)
* 1831: Stephen Hicks opens first general store
* 1835: David Hendershot plats the first section of a village
* 1835: Luke Coons becomes first physician in Staunton
* 1837: First Post Office (William Bonner is first Postmaster)
o Important addition because it brought in people and trade
o Staunton goes from a subsistent farm community to a trade-based one
* 1859: Staunton becomes an incorporated village
o Unincorporated village from 1830-1859
* 1870: Railroad arrives! (drastic change on the community and the nation)
* 1873: Royal Gem Mill built
o Tallest building ever erected here
o Won a gold medal for “Jack Frost Flower” at Paris World Exposition (1875)
* 1878: Staunton Star Times begins publication
* 1891: Staunton becomes a city
o Achieved a population of 2209 in 1890 (sufficient enough to apply for “City” status)
o F.E. Godfrey serves as first mayor
* 1894: John Kennedy starts Staunton High School
* Early 1900’s: Staunton starts to look like what we recognize today
o Staunton continued to grow in the twentieth century. Many of the buildings that make up what is now downtown Staunton were built around the turn of the century.
Note: A few years ago, the community began a series of ornaments depicting historic buildings in Staunton. The first and oldest building in this series was the Gauer Building.
* 1904: Illinois Traction System passes through Staunton
* 1910: Staunton achieves a population of 5049 (biggest city in Macoupin County at that time). Note: Although these numbers prove that Staunton was prospering, some had
predicted that it would be three times this size by 1912. A real estate ad taken from the Staunton Star-Times on October 14, 1907 urges citizens to buy land quickly, as
“Staunton will become a city of 15,000 people in five years’ time and every lot in McKinley Addition will double or triple in value”. (source 2) Although a good marketing ploy,
Staunton would never approach even half of that anticipated size, and still today remains at only a third of that predicted population.
* 1913: Staunton Public Library established (first Librarian was Bess Kirkwood)
* 1922: Staunton Country Club established
* 1923: Staunton Volunteer Fire Department established
* 1923: Staunton football team goes 10-0 (including state record 233-0 victory over Gillespie)
* 1925: Staunton High School built
* 1925: Staunton’s population (unofficially) reaches 6600 (all-time high)
* 1927: Lake Staunton (“The Rezzy”) built for $230,000
* 1946: Community Memorial Hospital Association organized (building dedicated in 1951)
* 1956: Illinois Traction System runs its last passenger train through Staunton
* 1956: Interstate 55 built through Staunton (led to the decline of Route 66)
* 1959: Staunton celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of Village incorporation
o The Centennial Celebration lasted from June 28 through July 4, 1959, and included games, a parade, and concessions. One interesting happening was the “Judging of the Beards”,
or the “Brothers of the Brush” contest, in which members of the community grew long beards to show respect and to honor those of past generations. (source 1) Note: My Grandpa
actually ran this contest, and ironically, since he was a barber, it probably hurt his own business for a while. However, the celebration of Staunton’s history must have taken
precedence, and I think his actions, as well as others who dedicated time and money towards the Centennial Celebration, are indicative of Staunton’s close-knit and dedicated
community members. Perhaps the beards also represented a socially acceptable way for males to escape the conformity of the 1950’s. Either way, the celebration indicated a
proud and thankful citizenry honoring its community’s history.
* 1971: City Complex built (Library, City Clerk’s Office, Police Station)
* 1991: Staunton celebrates the one hundredth anniversary of City Charter (less lavish than 1959 celebration)
* 1993: Staunton wins IHSA Class A basketball title
* 2004: Livingston schools are annexed into the Staunton School District
* 2009: Staunton celebrates its Sesquicentennial (150 years)
Immigration
* Mostly from Germany in the mid-1800’s (first German family in 1846)
* Irish immigration in the 1870’s
* Italian immigration in the early 1900’s
Coal Mining
* Henry Voge opens first coal mine in 1869 (“The Gin Shaft”)
* Coal Mining characterized the city for nearly a century
o Two large mounds of slag that rise from prairie farmland on the outskirts of Staunton tell much about the history and the present status of the small city. The
size of the piles indicates many years of deep shaft coal production, while the weeded erosions indicate the tipples have been idle for years. Mining started here shortly
before the Civil War. It ended shortly before World War II. When the shafts were operating, they provided most of the employment in the town. (Source 3) Note: although it
has been said that coal mining had started in Staunton before the Civil War era, I found no indication of that in any other source. All of these indicate that coal mining
first started in Staunton in 1869.
* Staunton Local 755 becomes largest coal miners’ union in the state
o The Labor Temple was built in 1914 by the Local Miners Union. The front doors of this fine structure opened onto an attractive lobby with a wide stairway to the
second floor on the right and a ticket office centered between two entrances to a large auditorium which had a sloping floor, aisles between three sections of comfortable
seats and in front a large, well-arranged stage. This auditorium had the first air conditioning system to be found anywhere within thirty-five miles of Staunton. From
Tuesday through Sunday it was a theatre showing first-run movies for many years. The first Monday of each month the Miners Union held their meeting there. The other Mondays
could be booked for graduations, dramatic or musical productions by local groups, speakers, etc. Upstairs were toilet facilities, several small conference or committee
meeting rooms, and a large hall where lodges met and dances and receptions could be held. (Source 1)
* Last mine closes in 1951
Religion
* Lutheran Church established in 1847 (first school building in 1881, though some instruction took place before that time)
* Catholic Church established in 1867 (first school building in 1904, though some instruction took place before that time)
* Many other denominations have establishments in Staunton
World War I
* Observers generally recognized that during the spring and summer of 1917 the American people, at least in the Midwest, were not fervent supporters of the war. As the
United States rushed towards open hostility, even President Woodrow Wilson remarked on the “apparent apathy in the Middle West”. (Source 4)
* In Staunton, the area’s first organized opposition to the war emerged, as well as some of the first riots in support of U.S. intervention. During two evenings in early
1918, the local union decided, through vigilante tactics, to “Americanize” the City. (Source 4)
o With one man at the head carrying a large American flag, the mob made its way to various homes in Staunton where…persons whose loyalty was not of the 100 percent
kind resided. At each of more than one hundred houses visited, the crowd hammered on doors and forced men inside to come out into the street where they were required to kiss
the flag, sign loyalty pledge cards, salute the flag, or make other manifestations of patriotism. (Source 4)
* This display of “superpatriotism” was heralded throughout the area (even as far as Chicago).
o Following the two nights of loyalty demonstrations in Staunton, the area’s press gave enthusiastic support to the actions. The Staunton Star-Times announced that
“the members of Local Union 755 [were] to be heartily congratulated on what they accomplished”…Other district papers not only supported the Staunton superpatriots but
implied that such actions were required elsewhere in the area. The Mt. Olive Herald congratulated the Staunton patriots and issued a warning: “To Staunton belongs the honor
of being first in the county in a real loyalty demonstration…In the future anyone with pro-German tendencies will do well to keep their mouths shut”…The Gillespie
News commended the citizens of Staunton, and explained that while “we are not believers in mob violence…under the existing circumstances we are for it,
and every man who took part in the Staunton demonstration should be given a medal”…And the Chicago Tribune commended the Staunton crowd for its “zealous Americanism”. (Source 4)
o Even the Governor of Illinois supported what the local union did in Staunton. “The people in Staunton who took the ‘Pros to a cleaning are not mobs….
They were the best citizens that can be found in the great state of ours.” (Source 4)
* German dropped from the curriculum at Zion
Great Depression and World War II
* WPA projects
o Library Mural “Going to Work”. Note: This mural, along with several others in Illinois, was the subject of a documentary film about art done under federal
sponsorship during the Great Depression. The film, which was tentatively titled Silver Lining, was sponsored by the Illinois Bicentennial Commission and the Illinois Arts Council. (Source 5)
* Many joined the Armed Forces
* Staunton becomes a commuter work force (as it is today)