Yorkville, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Yorkville is a city located in Kendall County
, Illinois
, United States
. The population was 6,189 at the 2000 United States Census and is estimated to be 16,505, . It is the county seat
of Kendall County
. Yorkville is located in the center of Kendall County, the fastest growing county in Illinois and is the fastest growing county in the United States.
According to the 2000 Census, the city has a total area of 7.15 sq mi (18.5 km²), of which, 7.04 sq mi (18.2 km²) of it is land and 0.11 sq mi (0.2848986921 km²) or 1.54% of it is water. The Fox River
flows through downtown Yorkville. The city is located in both Bristol
and Kendall Townships
.
was 878.8 PD/sqmi. There were 2,291 housing units at an average density of 325.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 96.99% White, 0.42% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.73% from other races, and 1.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.94% of the population.
There were 2,220 households, out of which 42.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were married couples
living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 20.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% 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 city, the population was spread out with 30.0% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $60,391, and the median income for a family was $67,521. Males had a median income of $49,120 versus $30,977 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $24,514. About 0.4% of families and 1.4% of the population were below the poverty line
, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.
Raging Waves waterpark, the largest waterpark in Illinois, is located in Yorkville. It opened in 2008 and is owns about 40 acres of property.
In 1836, the village of Yorkville was settled by early pioneers
. Cars, buses and trucks have replaced horses, buggies and carts along the city’s main thoroughfare—Bridge Street (Illinois Route 47
). Originally, Bridge Street was designed for horse-drawn carriages and pedestrians. As time passed, Hydraulic Street, which runs parallel to the Fox River, boasted a trolley that ran from Ottawa
to Aurora
, connecting Yorkville to Chicago and around the nation.
At the time, Yorkville's central business district was focused on the south side of the Fox River and the public square north of the river, a layout unique to this region. The public gathering place was located near the river's edge. The Kendall County Courthouse, adjacent to the downtown commercial district, served as the anchor and people generator of the day. Many of the city’s remaining historic single-family homes are found within walking distance of Bridge Street, the courthouse and Union Hall. It was resident Earl Adams who started it all. He built his cabin on Courthouse Hill on the south side of town in 1833. One year later, Lyman and Burr Bristol set up residency in neighboring Bristol, north of the river.
When the county of Kendall was formed in 1841, Yorkville was chosen as the county seat. After a 13-year period in which Village of Oswego
claimed that honor, voters chose to relocate the county government in 1859 to a more centralized location. Yorkville was chosen for that honor and the new courthouse was completed in 1864. Replaced in 1997 with a new courthouse
on the north side of the city, the 1864 building, majestic in nature, still stands today and is used by the Kendall County Forest Preserve and other organizations. Yorkville was no exception to the railroad boom. Development began and businesses sprang up in 1870, along the tracks and included Squire Dingee's pickle factory, the Yorkville Ice Cream Company and the Rehbehn Brothers button factory. A few of those buildings are still remaining today.
The Village of Yorkville existed as two towns, one north of the river
and the other south of the Fox River, with separate governments, for more than 100 years. In 1957, both towns had their own identity—Bristol to the north and Yorkville to the south. In that year, Bristol and Yorkville merged, becoming the United City of Yorkville. As a result, Ellsworth Windett became Yorkville's first mayor. As a part of the consolidation, the residents of both towns agreed to a uniform school district. It was in that same year that high school classes began in the downtown area at the northeast corner of Van Emmon and Bridge Streets. In 1888, a two-story brick school building on West Center Street was constructed. After the construction of Circle Center School in 1968, the two-story building was closed and the space was rented by the Yorkville School District to neighboring Waubonsee Community College
. Due to rising enrollment in the early 1970s, the school was reopened and renamed as Parkview School.
In August of 2011 the movie "Man of Steel" was filmed at a house that was built specifically for the set in Yorkville. The structure will appear in the movie as the Kent Family Farm.
and Yorkville High School
.
Kendall County, Illinois
Kendall County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois, about 40 miles southwest of Chicago. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 114,736, which is an increase of 110% from 54,544 in 2000. It was the fastest-growing county in the United States between the years 2000 and...
, 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 6,189 at the 2000 United States Census and is estimated to be 16,505, . It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Kendall County
Kendall County, Illinois
Kendall County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois, about 40 miles southwest of Chicago. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 114,736, which is an increase of 110% from 54,544 in 2000. It was the fastest-growing county in the United States between the years 2000 and...
. Yorkville is located in the center of Kendall County, the fastest growing county in Illinois and is the fastest growing county in the United States.
Geography
Yorkville is located at 41°39′57"N 88°26′31"W (41.6657190, -88.4419490).According to the 2000 Census, the city has a total area of 7.15 sq mi (18.5 km²), of which, 7.04 sq mi (18.2 km²) of it is land and 0.11 sq mi (0.2848986921 km²) or 1.54% of it is water. The Fox River
Fox River (Illinois River tributary)
The Fox River is a tributary of the Illinois River in the states of Wisconsin and Illinois in the United States. There are two other "Fox Rivers" in southern Illinois: the Fox River and a smaller "Fox River" that joins the Wabash River near New Harmony, Indiana.-Wisconsin:The Fox River rises near...
flows through downtown Yorkville. The city is located in both Bristol
Bristol Township, Kendall County, Illinois
Bristol Township is the smallest township in Kendall County, Illinois.It is located at 41.672412 N, -88.429435 W. According to the United States Census Bureau, Bristol Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water. Its population in the 2000 Census was 7,677. It has 2,807...
and Kendall Townships
Kendall Township, Kendall County, Illinois
Kendall Township is located in Kendall County, Illinois.It is located at 41.619626 N, -88.442966 W. It has 101.455 km². of land and 349,570 square meters covered by water. Its population in the 2000 Census was 4,636...
.
Demographics
As of the 2000 Census, there were 6,189 people, 2,220 households, and 1,665 families residing in the city. The population densityPopulation 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 878.8 PD/sqmi. There were 2,291 housing units at an average density of 325.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 96.99% White, 0.42% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.73% from other races, and 1.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.94% of the population.
There were 2,220 households, out of which 42.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% 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, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 20.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% 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 city, the population was spread out with 30.0% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $60,391, and the median income for a family was $67,521. Males had a median income of $49,120 versus $30,977 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 was $24,514. About 0.4% of families and 1.4% of the population were below the poverty line
Poverty threshold
The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate standard of living in a given country...
, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
The William Wrigley Company has a large manufacturing facility in Yorkville.Raging Waves waterpark, the largest waterpark in Illinois, is located in Yorkville. It opened in 2008 and is owns about 40 acres of property.
History
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
. Cars, buses and trucks have replaced horses, buggies and carts along the city’s main thoroughfare—Bridge Street (Illinois Route 47
Illinois Route 47
Illinois Route 47 is a largely rural north–south state highway that runs from the Wisconsin state border at Highway 120 near Hebron, to Illinois Route 10, just south of Interstate 72 near Seymour. This is a distance of . Even though Route 47 is primarily rural, in several suburbs of Chicago,...
). Originally, Bridge Street was designed for horse-drawn carriages and pedestrians. As time passed, Hydraulic Street, which runs parallel to the Fox River, boasted a trolley that ran from 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...
to Aurora
Aurora, Illinois
Aurora is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the 112th largest city in the United States. A suburb of Chicago, located west of the Loop, its population in 2010 was 197,899. Originally founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded greatly over the past...
, connecting Yorkville to Chicago and around the nation.
At the time, Yorkville's central business district was focused on the south side of the Fox River and the public square north of the river, a layout unique to this region. The public gathering place was located near the river's edge. The Kendall County Courthouse, adjacent to the downtown commercial district, served as the anchor and people generator of the day. Many of the city’s remaining historic single-family homes are found within walking distance of Bridge Street, the courthouse and Union Hall. It was resident Earl Adams who started it all. He built his cabin on Courthouse Hill on the south side of town in 1833. One year later, Lyman and Burr Bristol set up residency in neighboring Bristol, north of the river.
When the county of Kendall was formed in 1841, Yorkville was chosen as the county seat. After a 13-year period in which Village of Oswego
Oswego, Illinois
Oswego is a village in Kendall County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 30,355. Its population has more than doubled since the 2000 census count of 13,326...
claimed that honor, voters chose to relocate the county government in 1859 to a more centralized location. Yorkville was chosen for that honor and the new courthouse was completed in 1864. Replaced in 1997 with a new courthouse
Courthouse
A courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
on the north side of the city, the 1864 building, majestic in nature, still stands today and is used by the Kendall County Forest Preserve and other organizations. Yorkville was no exception to the railroad boom. Development began and businesses sprang up in 1870, along the tracks and included Squire Dingee's pickle factory, the Yorkville Ice Cream Company and the Rehbehn Brothers button factory. A few of those buildings are still remaining today.
The Village of Yorkville existed as two towns, one north of the river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
and the other south of the Fox River, with separate governments, for more than 100 years. In 1957, both towns had their own identity—Bristol to the north and Yorkville to the south. In that year, Bristol and Yorkville merged, becoming the United City of Yorkville. As a result, Ellsworth Windett became Yorkville's first mayor. As a part of the consolidation, the residents of both towns agreed to a uniform school district. It was in that same year that high school classes began in the downtown area at the northeast corner of Van Emmon and Bridge Streets. In 1888, a two-story brick school building on West Center Street was constructed. After the construction of Circle Center School in 1968, the two-story building was closed and the space was rented by the Yorkville School District to neighboring Waubonsee Community College
Waubonsee Community College
Waubonsee Community College is a two-year community college, founded in 1966, located in the western suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. Its four campuses are located in Sugar Grove, Aurora, and Plano....
. Due to rising enrollment in the early 1970s, the school was reopened and renamed as Parkview School.
In August of 2011 the movie "Man of Steel" was filmed at a house that was built specifically for the set in Yorkville. The structure will appear in the movie as the Kent Family Farm.
Notable people
- Andy RichterAndy RichterPaul Andrew "Andy" Richter is an American actor, writer, comedian, and late night talk show announcer. He is best known for his role as the sidekick of Conan O'Brien on each of the host's programs: Late Night and The Tonight Show on NBC, and Conan on TBS...
, actor and comedian. - Dennis HastertDennis HastertJohn Dennis "Denny" Hastert was the 59th Speaker of the House serving from 1999 to 2007. He represented as a Republican for twenty years, 1987 to 2007.He is the longest-serving Republican Speaker in history...
, former Speaker of the House109th United States CongressThe One Hundred Ninth United States Congress was the legislative branch of the United States, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, from January 3, 2005 to January 3, 2007, during the fifth and sixth years of George W. Bush's presidency. House members...
. - The Giving Tree BandThe Giving Tree BandThe Giving Tree Band is an American indie folk-rock group started in 2004 by brothers Todd and Eric Fink and based in Yorkville, Illinois. Though the group uses an instrumentation largely associated with bluegrass and Americana, their sound often drums up comparisons to such classic rock icons as...
, American indie folk rock group. - Mike RadjaMike RadjaMike Radja is an American professional ice hockey forward who currently plays for the Augsburger Panther of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.-Playing career:...
, professional ice hockey player, born in Yorkville - Trevor McCumbyTrevor McCumbyTrevor McCumby is an undefeated American professional boxer in the Light Heavyweight division.-Amateur career:...
, former Yorkville student, now a professional boxer.
Schools
The area is served by local Community Unified School District (CUSD) #115. Schools include Yorkville Middle SchoolYorkville Middle School
Yorkville Middle School is a middle school in Yorkville, Illinois. The school opened in 1959 as the Yorkville High School, then expanded in 1969. Before that time the city's middle school was in Circle Center School. In 1998 the new high school was opened moving the middle school to the old high...
and Yorkville High School
Yorkville High School
Yorkville High School, or YHS, is a public four-year high school located in Yorkville, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Yorkville Community Unit School District 115.-History:...
.