Litchfield, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Litchfield, Illinois
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Cars in a "66" formation at the SkyView Drive-In
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| Motto(s):
"Many pleasant surprises!"
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Location in Montgomery County, Illinois
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 Litchfield, Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Montgomery |
| Townships | North Litchfield, South Litchfield |
| Founded | 1856 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 10.95 sq mi (28.35 km2) |
| • Land | 8.93 sq mi (23.13 km2) |
| • Water | 2.02 sq mi (5.23 km2) |
| Elevation | 669 ft (204 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 6,605 |
| • Density | 739.72/sq mi (285.61/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
62056
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| Area code(s) | 217 |
| FIPS code | 17-43965 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2395731 |
| Wikimedia Commons | Litchfield, Illinois |
Litchfield is a city in Montgomery County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,605 at the 2020 census. It is located in South Central Illinois, south of Springfield, the state capital.
Contents
History
Litchfield was platted in October 1853, and was originally named "Huntsville",
Earlier, Hardinsburg, about 2 miles (3 km) to the southwest, had been founded about 1850. Both towns were created in anticipation of the Terre Haute & Alton Railroad. Hardinsburg grew to about 50 people by 1854; but when it became clear that the railroad was going through Huntsville instead of Hardinsburg, many of the buildings in Hardinsburg were pulled across the prairie on runners to Huntsville beginning in January 1854, and most of the residents moved to the new site as well, becoming Litchfield's first residents. The railroad reached Huntsville in the autumn of 1864, and within two more years Hardinsburg had substantially disappeared.
The new town of Huntsville was renamed in November 1855 after Electus Bachus Litchfield, who with his brothers earlier that year had donated land and convinced the railroad of where to place its shops and terminals.
The residents of Litchfield first voted to incorporate as a village on April 4, 1856. However, the village trustees failed to complete the incorporation; the village charter was dissolved in autumn of 1857 and the trustees closed the books for that village government on January 22, 1858. The state legislature granted a new municipal charter to Litchfield on February 16, 1859, and the first elections under that charter were held on March 7, 1859.
Milnot Company, known for its namesake product, Milnot, an evaporated filled milk, was founded in Litchfield in 1912 as the Litchfield Creamery Company by Martin Jensen. In 1916, a new plant was built at 120 W. St. John St. and operated until 1990. As of 2019, it has been repurposed as an indoor sports training facility.
Geography
Litchfield is in western Montgomery County, 9 miles (14 km) west of Hillsboro, the Montgomery county seat. Interstate 55 runs along the western edge of the city, with access from Exit 52 (Illinois Route 16). I-55 leads north 42 miles (68 km) to Springfield and southwest 53 miles (85 km) to St. Louis. IL 16 passes through Litchfield as Union Avenue, leading east to Hillsboro and southwest 10 miles (16 km) to Gillespie.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Litchfield has a total area of 11.0 square miles (28 km2), of which 9.0 square miles (23 km2) are land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km2), or 18.38%, are water. The city drains east to the West Fork of Shoal Creek, a south-flowing tributary of the Kaskaskia River. Lake Lou Yaeger is a reservoir on the West Fork northeast of the city, and the Litchfield city limits extend north 5 miles (8 km) to encompass most of the reservoir.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 1,609 | — | |
| 1870 | 3,852 | 139.4% | |
| 1880 | 4,326 | 12.3% | |
| 1890 | 5,811 | 34.3% | |
| 1900 | 5,918 | 1.8% | |
| 1910 | 5,971 | 0.9% | |
| 1920 | 6,215 | 4.1% | |
| 1930 | 6,612 | 6.4% | |
| 1940 | 7,048 | 6.6% | |
| 1950 | 7,208 | 2.3% | |
| 1960 | 7,330 | 1.7% | |
| 1970 | 7,190 | −1.9% | |
| 1980 | 7,204 | 0.2% | |
| 1990 | 6,883 | −4.5% | |
| 2000 | 6,815 | −1.0% | |
| 2010 | 6,939 | 1.8% | |
| 2020 | 6,605 | −4.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 Census
As of the census of 2020, there were 6,605 people in 3,104 households residing in the city. 7.7% percent of the population was under the age of 5, 22.8% under the age of 18, and 19.4% over the age of 65. The racial makeup of the city was 96.8% White, 0.8% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.4% Asian, and 1.7% two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.
The median income for a household was $50,368, and the per capita income in the city was $26,746. 18.2% of the population lived below the poverty line.
Arts and culture
Attractions
The Ariston Café is one of the oldest restaurants along the historic U.S. Route 66, commonly known as Old Route 66, though the café itself claims it is possibly the oldest. The Ariston Café was founded in 1924 in the town of Carlinville, Illinois, but was moved to its present location. The café was inducted into the Route 66 Hall of Fame in 1992. Another landmark is Litchfield's Lake Lou Yaeger, located northeast of town. The Sky View Theater is a member of the Route 66 Hall of Fame and has been in operation since 1950. It is among the last drive-in theaters still operating along Route 66.
In 1934, the Belvidere Motel opened in Litchfield. It is one of the oldest motels around. The grand opening of the Litchfield Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center was June 1, 2013. The museum is located across from the Ariston Café at 334 North Historic Route 66. The museum is owned by the Litchfield Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center Association and is maintained mainly through donations.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Litchfield Municipal Airport is located 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) southwest of the central business district of Litchfield.
Litchfield is served by Interstate 55 and Illinois Route 16.
Two Class 1 railroad lines (Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Norfolk Southern) cross at the south edge of Litchfield after running parallel through town from north to south.
Notable people
- Estella Bagnelle, county superintendent of schools in California
- Stephen D. Canady (1865–1923), Illinois state legislator and businessman
- Luke Epplin, sportswriter; grew up in Litchfield
- Jackie Mayo, professional baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies; born in Litchfield
- Paul Martin Pearson, author, professor, governor of Virgin Islands, father of columnist Drew Pearson; born in Litchfield
- Ray Schalk, Hall of Fame catcher for Chicago White Sox; grew up in Litchfield
- Harry C. Stuttle (1879–1947), Illinois state legislator, judge, and lawyer
See also
In Spanish: Litchfield (Illinois) para niños
