Amboy, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amboy, Illinois
|
|
|---|---|
Downtown Amboy, Illinois
|
|
Location of Amboy in Lee County, Illinois.
|
|
.svg)
Location of Illinois in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Lee |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.21 sq mi (16.09 km2) |
| • Land | 6.21 sq mi (16.09 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 2,278 |
| • Density | 366.77/sq mi (141.61/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code(s) |
61310
|
| Area codes | 815, 779 |
| FIPS code | 17-01270 |
| Wikimedia Commons | Amboy, Illinois |
Amboy is a city in Lee County, Illinois, located by the Green River. In 2020, about 2,278 people lived there.
A famous store chain, Carson Pirie Scott & Co., actually started in Amboy. Samuel Carson opened his first dry goods store here in 1854. Amboy was also important for a Christian group called the Community of Christ. In 1860, Joseph Smith III reorganized the church that his father, Joseph Smith, Jr., had founded.
History of Amboy
Amboy began in the 1850s when the Illinois Central Railroad built tracks to this spot. The city was named after Amboy, New Jersey.
The Illinois Central Railroad had a big office in Amboy. This building was the main office for the railroad's area. It was saved from being torn down and is now a museum. The train tracks and yard were removed in the early 1990s.
During World War II, Amboy was home to an ammunition factory. It was called the Green River Ordinance Plant. This factory was a very important place. It employed about 4,500 people at one time. The plant was finished in December 1942 and was used until August 1945.
This plant is also famous for something else. It's where Vesta Stoudt came up with the idea for modern duct tape. She wanted a strong, waterproof tape to seal ammunition boxes.
Amboy's Location
Amboy is located at 41°42′52″N 89°19′58″W / 41.71444°N 89.33278°W.
According to the 2010 census, Amboy covers an area of about 6.29 square miles (16.29 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
People of Amboy
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 1,615 | — | |
| 1870 | 2,825 | 74.9% | |
| 1880 | 2,448 | −13.3% | |
| 1890 | 2,257 | −7.8% | |
| 1900 | 1,826 | −19.1% | |
| 1910 | 1,749 | −4.2% | |
| 1920 | 1,944 | 11.1% | |
| 1930 | 1,972 | 1.4% | |
| 1940 | 1,986 | 0.7% | |
| 1950 | 2,128 | 7.2% | |
| 1960 | 2,067 | −2.9% | |
| 1970 | 2,184 | 5.7% | |
| 1980 | 2,377 | 8.8% | |
| 1990 | 2,377 | 0.0% | |
| 2000 | 2,561 | 7.7% | |
| 2010 | 2,500 | −2.4% | |
| 2020 | 2,278 | −8.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 2,561 people living in Amboy. People from Amboy are sometimes called Amboian. There were 963 households and 651 families. The population density was about 2,035 people per square mile.
Most of the people living in Amboy were White (97.97%). About 2.15% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 34.9% of households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had 2.55 people. The average family had 3.12 people.
The median age in the city was 36 years old. This means half the people were older than 36 and half were younger.
Notable People from Amboy
Many interesting people have connections to Amboy:
- Betty Degner – A player in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
- Augustus Newnham Dickens – He was the brother of the famous writer Charles Dickens.
- Henry F. McElroy – A businessman and politician from Missouri.
- Michael M. Mihm – A federal judge in the United States.
- David C. Shapiro – A dentist and a state legislator in Illinois.
- Frank Shaughnessy – A football player for Notre Dame and a professional baseball player and executive.
- Vesta Stoudt – She invented modern duct tape while working at the Green River Ordnance Plant.
See also
In Spanish: Amboy (Illinois) para niños
