Aledo, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aledo, Illinois
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Mercer County Courthouse
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| Motto(s):
City of Pride and Progress
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Location in Mercer County, Illinois
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 Aledo, Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Mercer |
| Township | Mercer |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.38 sq mi (6.16 km2) |
| • Land | 2.37 sq mi (6.13 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
| Elevation | 736 ft (224 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,633 |
| • Density | 1,534.21/sq mi (592.30/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
61231
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| Area code(s) | 309 861 |
| FIPS code | 17-00646 |
Aledo is a city in Mercer County, Illinois, United States. It is also the county seat, which means it's the main town where the county government is located. In 2020, about 3,633 people lived there.
Contents
Aledo's Story: A Look at Its History
Aledo started as a town in the 1850s when a railroad line was built through the area. For a short time, it was called "DeSoto" after Hernando de Soto, a famous explorer. But they found another town with the same name, so they changed it to Aledo.
The oldest buildings in Aledo were built in the 1860s. A post office opened in 1856. In 1857, Aledo became the county seat after people in the county voted for it. The city officially became a town on August 15, 1863.
In the 1950s, the very first Tastee-Freez ice cream shop in the United States was built in downtown Aledo! In 2016, the downtown area was recognized as a historic district, with 75 old buildings that are important to the city's past.
Where is Aledo? Understanding Its Geography
Aledo is located in the middle of Mercer County. You can find it at these coordinates: 41.200172 degrees North and -90.749956 degrees West.
Illinois Route 17 goes right through the center of Aledo on Third Street. This road connects Aledo to Viola to the east and New Boston to the west, which is on the Mississippi River. Another road, Illinois Route 94, also passes through Aledo, heading south towards Biggsville and northeast towards the Quad Cities.
Aledo is built on high ground. Water from the city flows north into the Edwards River, which eventually reaches the Mississippi River. Water also flows south into Pike Run, which leads to Pope Creek and then to the Mississippi River at Keithsburg.
Aledo's Population: Who Lives Here?
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 563 | — | |
| 1870 | 1,076 | 91.1% | |
| 1880 | 1,492 | 38.7% | |
| 1890 | 1,601 | 7.3% | |
| 1900 | 2,081 | 30.0% | |
| 1910 | 2,144 | 3.0% | |
| 1920 | 2,231 | 4.1% | |
| 1930 | 2,203 | −1.3% | |
| 1940 | 2,593 | 17.7% | |
| 1950 | 2,919 | 12.6% | |
| 1960 | 3,080 | 5.5% | |
| 1970 | 3,325 | 8.0% | |
| 1980 | 3,881 | 16.7% | |
| 1990 | 3,681 | −5.2% | |
| 2000 | 3,613 | −1.8% | |
| 2010 | 3,640 | 0.7% | |
| 2020 | 3,633 | −0.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 3,640 people living in Aledo. Most of the people living in Aledo are white. About 24.5% of homes had children under 18 living there. Many homes were made up of married couples.
The population is pretty evenly split between males and females. The median age in Aledo is about 45.8 years old. This means half the people are younger than 45.8 and half are older.
Famous Faces from Aledo
- Gertrude Abercrombie, a painter known for surreal art
- Suzy Bogguss, a country and western singer
- Oscar E. Carlstrom, a former Illinois attorney general
- Herschel L. Carnahan, a former lieutenant governor of California
- Dora Doxey, a person who was tried for murder in 1910 and found not guilty
- Peaches Graham, a Major League Baseball catcher
- Doris Emrick Lee, an artist
- Frank Lewis Marsh, an educator and creationist
- Dewey McDougal, a Major League Baseball pitcher
- Margo Price, a country singer-songwriter
- Guy C. Scott, a chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court and also a mayor of Aledo
- Judson Welliver, a speech writer for presidents
Learning in Aledo: Schools and Education
Aledo was once home to William & Vashti College from 1908 to 1917. Later, the Roosevelt Military Academy used the campus from 1924 to 1973. Today, some of those old college buildings are still there, though they are not used.
For many years, the high school in Aledo was called Aledo High School. Their mascot was the Green Dragons, and their colors were forest green and white. They had about 71 students in an average graduating class.
Aledo High School was very good at football! They went to the state tournament 17 times since 1974. Between 1998 and 2006, they reached the state championship finals five times and won three of those championships.
In 2009, Aledo School District #201 joined with Westmer School District #203. This created a new, larger school district called Mercer County District #404. The students voted for a new mascot, and the Golden Eagles were chosen! The new school colors are navy blue and vegas gold. The first graduating class of the new combined district in 2010 had over 120 students.
Today, Mercer County High School offers many classes in science, math, literature, social studies, and art. Students can also join different music groups like the concert band, jazz band, and choir.
The school also has many sports teams, including volleyball, football, golf, basketball, wrestling, track and field, softball, baseball, and cross country. There are also other activities like scholastic bowl, pom poms, cheerleading, and musicals.
Fun and News: Aledo's Culture and Media
Aledo has two fun festivals every year: the Rhubarb Fest and Antique Days.
- The Rhubarb Festival happens every June in downtown Aledo. It's all about rhubarb! You can buy rhubarb pie, get free rhubarb seeds, and enjoy other crafts, music, and entertainment. This festival has been a tradition since 1991.
- Antique Days takes place every September. It's a citywide food festival with music from local people and high school bands. There are also sports competitions between different communities in the area.
Aledo also has its own radio station, WRMJ-FM. It plays country music and shares local news, live sports, and other local programs. You can listen to it on 102.3 MHz. The station started in 1979 and serves most of Mercer County. The local newspaper, The Times Record, is also based in Aledo.
See also
In Spanish: Aledo (Illinois) para niños
