Walnut Hill, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Walnut Hill is a village in Marion County, Illinois
, United States
. The population was 109 at the 2000 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 0.4 square miles (1 km²), all of it land.
Walnut Hill is located near the southern boundary of Marion County, next to Jefferson County
. The county boundary is the baseline of the Third Principal Meridian, also called the Centralia Baseline. The survey of this area was begun as early as 1804.
To the north of Walnut Hill is Raccoon Creek
, a tributary of the Kaskaskia River
. To the south is the Big Muddy River
, a small creek at the northernmost limit of its watershed. Walnut Hill is thus on the Kaskaskia/Big Muddy divide. That divide is a ridge that formed a natural, pioneer highway from Sparta
to Kell
, perhaps properly called the "Highway to Kell".
The original capital of Illinois was at Kaskaskia
. The overland route from Kaskaskia to the interior of the State followed the Kaskaskia/Big Muddy divide, which went through Walnut Hill. George Rogers Clark
marched through Walnut Hill in February, 1779 in his march from Fort Kaskaskia to Fort Vincennes
, which resulted in the conquest of Illinois by the army of Virginia
.
Traces of the Kaskaskia/Vincennes road can be seen in several short stretches of road in northwestern Jefferson County, which point toward Walnut Hill, ignoring the surveyed Section boundaries. Northeast of Walnut Hill, the Kell Road is a winding, pioneer road up to its intersection with Interstate 57, from which it follows the modern Section lines to Kell.
Walnut Hill was also on the Goshen Road
, an early road across Illinois, from Shawneetown
to the Goshen Settlement
near Glen Carbon
. Remnants of the Goshen Road can be seen in short segments of pioneer road between Dix
and Walnut Hill. It is possible that construction of the railroad tracks from Dix to Walnut Hill obliterated much of the original Goshen road.
In 1823, Thomas D. Minor built a road from Mt. Vernon
to Walnut Hill. This was called the "Vandalia Road", in that it connected with roads to the new State capital in Vandalia
. The new road joined the Goshen Road just south of Walnut Hill. Today it is called the "Old Centralia Road". The new road eventually captured much of the traffic on the Goshen Road, since it provided a shorter route across Jefferson County.
The modern road running northwest out of Walnut Hill toward Centralia
is the same as the Goshen Road as shown on the original survey maps of Illinois.
In the early 19th century, William Goins [Goings] kept a tavern that was presumably on land homesteaded by Goings about two miles south of Walnut Hill (in Jefferson County). Goings headed a band of robbers known as the "Goings Gang" that preyed on frontier travelers on the Vincennes-St. Louis Trace, a dirt road or path that extended east-west between these two settlements across southern Illinois. The gang members operated a series of frontier taverns along this road, passing information on to each other whenever a traveler worth robbing stopped at one of their taverns. When the unfortunate traveler reached a remote spot, the gang members would assemble and relieve him of his property. As in other frontier areas, neighboring settlers overlooked this activity until the Goings Gang escalated to murder in 1818-1819. In response, the settlers organized a group of vigilantes or "rangers" who surprised the gang at Walnut Hills. The gang members were tied to trees, flogged, and ordered to leave the county, an order which all but one obeyed. The following year the vigilantes returned and cropped the ears of this obstinate gang member, who may have been William Goings, possibly because they believed he had no use for his ears as he would not listen. The tavern site of one of the reported gang members—Samuel Young of Marion County—was excavated by archaeologists working for the Illinois Department of Transportation in 1988 prior to its destruction by a highway project
of 2000, there were 109 people, 45 households, and 30 families residing in the village. The population density
was 294.2 people per square mile (113.7/km²). There were 50 housing units at an average density of 134.9 per square mile (52.2/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 99.08% White and 0.92% African American.
There were 45 households out of which 48.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.8% were married couples
living together, 20.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 28.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the village the population was spread out with 33.0% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 35.8% from 25 to 44, 11.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 67.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 58.7 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $21,250, and the median income for a family was $30,625. Males had a median income of $26,250 versus $15,417 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $9,025. There were no families and 3.9% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 26.7% of those over 64.
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 109 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Walnut Hill is located at 38°28′39"N 89°2′44"W (38.477541, -89.045513).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 0.4 square miles (1 km²), all of it land.
Walnut Hill is located near the southern boundary of Marion County, next to Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Illinois
Jefferson County is a county located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 38,827, which is a decrease of 3.0% from 40,045 in 2000...
. The county boundary is the baseline of the Third Principal Meridian, also called the Centralia Baseline. The survey of this area was begun as early as 1804.
To the north of Walnut Hill is Raccoon Creek
Raccoon Creek
Raccoon Creek may refer to:*Raccoon Creek, a tributary of the Coosa River in Alabama*Raccoon Creek , a tributary of the Etowah River*Raccoon Creek, a tributary of the Elm River...
, a tributary of the Kaskaskia River
Kaskaskia River
The Kaskaskia River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in central and southern Illinois in the United States. The second largest river system within Illinois, it drains a rural area of farms, as well as rolling hills along river bottoms of hardwood forests in its lower...
. To the south is the Big Muddy River
Big Muddy River
The Big Muddy River is a river in southern Illinois. It joins the Mississippi River south of Murphysboro. The Big Muddy has been dammed near Benton, forming Rend Lake.The Big Muddy has a mud bottom for most of its length.-Hydrography:...
, a small creek at the northernmost limit of its watershed. Walnut Hill is thus on the Kaskaskia/Big Muddy divide. That divide is a ridge that formed a natural, pioneer highway from Sparta
Sparta, Illinois
Sparta is a city in Randolph County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,486 at the 2000 census.The city was the principal filming location for the 1967 film In the Heat of the Night.-Geography:Sparta is located at ....
to Kell
Kell, Illinois
Kell is a village in Marion County, Illinois, United States. The population was 231 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Kell is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land....
, perhaps properly called the "Highway to Kell".
History
Walnut Hill was at one time the intersection of two of the main roads in Illinois: the George Rogers Clark Trace, and the Yadda Road.The original capital of Illinois was at Kaskaskia
Kaskaskia, Illinois
Kaskaskia is a village in Randolph County, Illinois, United States. In the 2010 census the population was 14, making it the second-smallest incorporated community in the State of Illinois in terms of population. A major French colonial town of the Illinois Country, its peak population was about...
. The overland route from Kaskaskia to the interior of the State followed the Kaskaskia/Big Muddy divide, which went through Walnut Hill. George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark was a soldier from Virginia and the highest ranking American military officer on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolutionary War. He served as leader of the Kentucky militia throughout much of the war...
marched through Walnut Hill in February, 1779 in his march from Fort Kaskaskia to Fort Vincennes
Vincennes, Indiana
Vincennes is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Indiana, United States. It is located on the Wabash River in the southwestern part of the state. The population was 18,701 at the 2000 census...
, which resulted in the conquest of Illinois by the army of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
Traces of the Kaskaskia/Vincennes road can be seen in several short stretches of road in northwestern Jefferson County, which point toward Walnut Hill, ignoring the surveyed Section boundaries. Northeast of Walnut Hill, the Kell Road is a winding, pioneer road up to its intersection with Interstate 57, from which it follows the modern Section lines to Kell.
Walnut Hill was also on the Goshen Road
Goshen Road
The Goshen Road was an early road that ran from Old Shawneetown, Illinois, on the Ohio River, northwest to the Goshen Settlement, near Glen Carbon, Illinois, near the Mississippi River. In the early 19th century, this was the main east/west road in Illinois....
, an early road across Illinois, from Shawneetown
Old Shawneetown, Illinois
Old Shawneetown is a village in Gallatin County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 193. Located along the Ohio River, Shawneetown served as an important United States government administrative center for the Northwest Territory. The village was...
to the Goshen Settlement
Goshen Settlement
The Goshen Settlement was an early American pioneer settlement in what is now Illinois, USA, located to the east of St. Louis, Missouri. The settlement was located about one mile southwest of modern Glen Carbon, Illinois, at the point where Judy's Creek emerges from the bluffs into the American...
near Glen Carbon
Glen Carbon, Illinois
Glen Carbon is a village in Madison County, Illinois, United States, 23 km northeast of St. Louis. The population was 12,934 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. Remnants of the Goshen Road can be seen in short segments of pioneer road between Dix
Dix, Illinois
Dix is a village in Jefferson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 494 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Mount Vernon Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Dix is located at ....
and Walnut Hill. It is possible that construction of the railroad tracks from Dix to Walnut Hill obliterated much of the original Goshen road.
In 1823, Thomas D. Minor built a road from Mt. Vernon
Mount Vernon, Illinois
Mount Vernon is a city located near the center of Jefferson County, Illinois, in the United States. In the 2010 census, the city's reported population was 15,277 people....
to Walnut Hill. This was called the "Vandalia Road", in that it connected with roads to the new State capital in Vandalia
Vandalia, Illinois
Vandalia is a city in Fayette County, Illinois, United States, northeast of St. Louis, on the Kaskaskia River. From 1819 to 1839 it served as the state capital of Illinois. Vandalia was the western terminus of the National Road. Today it is the county seat of Fayette County and the home of the...
. The new road joined the Goshen Road just south of Walnut Hill. Today it is called the "Old Centralia Road". The new road eventually captured much of the traffic on the Goshen Road, since it provided a shorter route across Jefferson County.
The modern road running northwest out of Walnut Hill toward Centralia
Centralia, Illinois
Centralia is a town located in Marion, Washington, Clinton, and Jefferson Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 13,032 at the 2010 census. The town was founded because it was the point where the two original branches of the Illinois Central Railroad, built in 1853, converged....
is the same as the Goshen Road as shown on the original survey maps of Illinois.
In the early 19th century, William Goins [Goings] kept a tavern that was presumably on land homesteaded by Goings about two miles south of Walnut Hill (in Jefferson County). Goings headed a band of robbers known as the "Goings Gang" that preyed on frontier travelers on the Vincennes-St. Louis Trace, a dirt road or path that extended east-west between these two settlements across southern Illinois. The gang members operated a series of frontier taverns along this road, passing information on to each other whenever a traveler worth robbing stopped at one of their taverns. When the unfortunate traveler reached a remote spot, the gang members would assemble and relieve him of his property. As in other frontier areas, neighboring settlers overlooked this activity until the Goings Gang escalated to murder in 1818-1819. In response, the settlers organized a group of vigilantes or "rangers" who surprised the gang at Walnut Hills. The gang members were tied to trees, flogged, and ordered to leave the county, an order which all but one obeyed. The following year the vigilantes returned and cropped the ears of this obstinate gang member, who may have been William Goings, possibly because they believed he had no use for his ears as he would not listen. The tavern site of one of the reported gang members—Samuel Young of Marion County—was excavated by archaeologists working for the Illinois Department of Transportation in 1988 prior to its destruction by a highway project
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 109 people, 45 households, and 30 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 294.2 people per square mile (113.7/km²). There were 50 housing units at an average density of 134.9 per square mile (52.2/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 99.08% White and 0.92% African American.
There were 45 households out of which 48.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.8% 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, 20.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 28.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the village the population was spread out with 33.0% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 35.8% from 25 to 44, 11.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 67.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 58.7 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $21,250, and the median income for a family was $30,625. Males had a median income of $26,250 versus $15,417 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 $9,025. There were no families and 3.9% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 26.7% of those over 64.